As immigration becomes a headache for President Joe Biden as the election approaches, the White House has announced measures that offer relief to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the country.
The Biden administration informed Tuesday that, under the new plan, in the coming months, spouses of certain US citizens who are in the country without legal status will be able to apply for permanent residency and possibly citizenship. This will directly benefit more than half a million immigrants.
Who will be eligible for the new plan:
An immigrant who has lived in the United States for 10 years as of Monday and is married to a U.S. citizen will qualify for the new rule.
About 50,000 non-citizen children with a parent married to a U.S. citizen could also potentially benefit from the same process, according to senior administration officials who briefed reporters on the proposal on condition of anonymity.
There are no requirements for how long the couple must be married, and no one becomes eligible after Monday. “This means that immigrants who reach this 10-year milestone after June 17, 2024 will not be eligible for the program,” they said.
What benefits will eligible immigrants receive:
Once approved, the eligible immigrant would have three years to apply for a green card, receive a temporary work permit and be protected from deportation in the meantime.
Senior administration officials said they anticipate the process will be open to applications by the end of the summer, and the fee to be charged has not yet been determined.
Biden will speak about his plans at an event Tuesday afternoon at the White House, which will also mark the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, a popular Obama-era directive that provided protections against deportation and temporary work permits for young immigrants who lack legal status.
White House officials privately encouraged Democrats in the House, which is on recess this week, to return to Washington to attend the announcement.
(With contribution from agencies)
