EXPLAINER
Joe Biden’s newest plan, introduced forward of the 2024 election, provides some undocumented migrants a pathway to United States citizenship.
United States President Joe Biden has introduced an initiative that may provide citizenship to roughly half one million undocumented immigrants married to US residents in a transfer forward of the November presidential election.
“The Statue of Liberty just isn’t some relic of American historical past. It nonetheless stands for who we’re,” Biden stated on the White Home on Tuesday, as he articulated his Democratic Celebration’s line on immigration – a hot-button subject within the nation.
“However I additionally refuse to imagine that for us to proceed to be an America that embraces immigration, we’ve to surrender securing our border. They’re false decisions,” he stated defending the curbs on asylum-seeking on the US-Mexico border introduced on June 4.
The transfer may even pave the way in which for the youngsters of those immigrants to realize US citizenship. A White Home assertion stated the transfer will “be certain that US residents with non-citizen spouses and youngsters can preserve their households collectively”.
Right here’s extra in regards to the new programme introduced months forward of the presidential elections:
What’s Biden’s new immigration plan?
- Underneath the sweeping new immigration plan, undocumented spouses of US residents who’ve been residing within the US can request lawful everlasting residence whereas staying within the nation.
- Nonetheless, the requests won’t all be authorised and the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) will contemplate these requests on a case-by-case foundation.
- To be eligible, the spouses must be married and residing within the US for no less than 10 years as of June 17, 2024, and “not pose a risk to public security or nationwide safety”, in keeping with a DHS truth sheet.
- The processing of everlasting residence functions can take months to years. These granted everlasting residency, referred to as getting a “inexperienced card” within the US, can apply for US citizenship.
- Earlier than this plan was launched, spouses residing within the US with out paperwork must journey to their house nation and apply for citizenship at a consulate – a course of that would take wherever from three to 10 years.
- “They [undocumented spouses of US citizens] have to go away their households in America with no assurance that they are going to be allowed again in america. In order that they keep in America, however within the shadows, residing in fixed concern of deportation with out the power to legally work,” stated Biden in a White Home speech, explaining why the outdated system wanted a repair.
Migrants are taken into custody by officers on the US-Mexico border on January 3, 2024, in Eagle Move, Texas, america [Eric Gay/AP Photo]
Who will Biden’s immigration plan profit?
- The DHS truth sheet says that round 500,000 non-citizen spouses of US residents are eligible for the programme.
- Moreover, round 50,000 youngsters of those spouses are additionally eligible for this course of.
What are Biden’s different latest immigration measures?
- On Tuesday, Biden introduced a separate coverage that can assist Deferred Motion for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, additionally referred to as “Dreamers”.
- The DACA programme was launched in 2012 by the administration of former President Barack Obama, when Biden served as vp, as momentary deportation aid for youngsters who got here to the US as undocumented immigrants with their mother and father.
- Underneath Biden’s latest programme, firms who make use of DACA recipients can apply for a piece visa for them, which may pave the way in which for everlasting residency.
- Tuesday’s sweeping measures come two weeks after Biden imposed restrictions on the fitting to hunt asylum on the US-Mexico border, which noticed a surge in unauthorised crossings final yr. Critics slammed Biden’s asylum restrictions, saying they mirrored the insurance policies of former president Donald Trump, who has pushed for hardline approaches to immigration. Immigrant rights teams have sued Biden over the June 4 border asylum restrictions.
Donald Trump has been criticised for his hardline anti-immigrant insurance policies [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]
How have Republicans reacted to Biden’s immigration programme?
- Donald Trump, Biden’s challenger: “Biden solely cares about one factor – energy – and that’s why he’s giving mass amnesty and citizenship to lots of of 1000’s of illegals who he is aware of will finally vote for him and the Open Border Democrat Celebration.”
- Mike Johnson, Home speaker: Biden is “attempting to play each side and is granting amnesty to lots of of 1000’s of unlawful aliens,” Johnson stated in an X submit. “That is proof-positive of the Democrats’ plan to show unlawful aliens into voters”.
- Rick Scott, US senator from Florida: “Whereas households wrestle to pay the payments, Biden is sending our deficit via the roof to pay without spending a dime housing & meals for unlawful immigrants,” Scott posted on X.
How vital is immigration to the 2024 elections?
- Biden’s latest immigration insurance policies come lower than 5 months earlier than the November 5 election, by which Biden will face Trump.
- In accordance with Pew Analysis Middle surveys performed in January 2024, round 57 p.c of People say coping with immigration must be a prime coverage objective for the president and Congress this yr.
- This has elevated by 18 factors since Biden’s time period started resulting from rising concern amongst Republicans.
- Slightly over half of US voters help deporting all or most undocumented immigrants within the US, in keeping with Reuters/Ipsos polling.
- Then again, a ballot printed in April 2024 by the advocacy group Immigration Hub concluded that 71 p.c of voters in seven election battleground states supported permitting spouses who’ve lived within the US with out paperwork for over 5 years to stay.