Biden Proposes Major Immigration Bill to Balance Border Restrictions
In a significant election-year move, US President Joe Biden is set to propose a new bill aimed at offering relief to hundreds of thousands of immigrants illegally residing in the country. This initiative seeks to balance his recent aggressive restrictions on the US-Mexico border that have drawn ire from immigrant rights activists and many Democratic legislators.
Key Provisions of the Proposed Bill
The White House announced that in the upcoming months, some spouses of US citizens who do not have legal status in the country could be eligible to apply for permanent residence and later, citizenship. It is estimated that this measure could impact nearly half a million immigrants. To qualify, an individual must have been in the US for a minimum of 10 years and be married to a US citizen. Once the application is approved, the person will have three years to apply for a permanent residence permit, receive a temporary work permit, and be protected from deportation during the process.
The bill also extends to approximately 50,000 noncitizen children with a parent married to a US citizen. Importantly, there is no requirement for how long the marriage must have existed, but applicants must meet the 10-year residency by June 17, 2024, as per the officials' statements.
A further significant aspect of the announcement is Biden's plan to make recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program eligible for visas rather than just temporary work authorization. This would provide more robust protection compared to the current DACA permits, which face legal battles and are not presently open to new applicants.
This measure is part of Biden's broader strategy to balance tightening border controls with more humane immigration policies. Just two weeks ago, Biden announced stringent controls at the US-Mexico border, effectively stopping asylum claims for those arriving outside official entry points. These measures led to lawsuits from immigrant rights groups, though officials reported a decrease in unauthorized crossings.
Andrea Flores, a former policy adviser in both the Obama and Biden administrations, highlighted that this temporary stay process allows eligible immigrants to seek permanent residency without leaving the country, thus eliminating a significant obstacle for many.
Biden is also set to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Obama-era directive that offered protections from deportation to young immigrants, commonly known as Dreamers. His campaign team took this occasion to promote the benefits of regulated immigration and to counteract Donald Trump's stringent anti-immigration stance, framing Biden's policies as protective and constructive for immigrant families.
- The Biden administration expects the application process for these new measures to open by the end of the summer, with the applicable fees yet to be determined. As part of the campaign to maintain support among progressive and foreign-origin voters, the White House privately urged Democratic members of the House of Representatives to return to Washington for the announcement.
- In the broader political landscape, the issue of immigration is particularly contentious. Biden's rival in the upcoming November election, former President Donald Trump, has maintained a stringent anti-immigration rhetoric, criticizing Biden's policies as too lenient. Trump's approach promotes mass deportations and has made inflammatory claims about the impact of immigrants on the country.
- Biden's policies, in contrast, emphasize a balance between firm border controls and pathways to citizenship for those already in the country. His administration views these measures as fulfilling a promise to protect undocumented immigrants and their American families while addressing the practicalities and humanitarian considerations of the immigration system.
