President Biden announced today a new relief measure aimed at securing lawful U.S. residency for spouses of U.S. citizens who are undocumented. This policy seeks to protect them from the threat of deportation, ensuring stability for U.S. citizens and their families amidst concerns over illegal residency issues.
Under this new policy, individuals who have resided in the U.S. for at least 10 years and are married to U.S. citizens, regardless of the duration of marriage, will be allowed to apply for permanent residency without leaving the country. Previously, undocumented spouses of citizens had to leave the U.S. for 10 years or obtain a Waiver for unlawful presence to qualify for a green card, often requiring an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country, potentially separating families.
It is estimated that approximately 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and around 50,000 children under 21, who are non-citizens and married to U.S. citizens’ parents, will benefit from this measure. This is seen as one of the largest relief measures announced recently, potentially rivaling the impact of DACA introduced by former President Barack Obama in 2012.
This initiative appears to target Latino voters ahead of the upcoming November election, making it an executive order that would not be easily rescinded even if former President Donald Trump were re-elected. However, it has faced opposition from the Republican side, criticizing it as a large-scale amnesty, warranting continued attention.
Immigration law is a rapidly evolving field with significant policy changes. The Immigration Team at Song Law Firm is committed to staying abreast of the latest immigration regulations and policies to successfully guide clients through various immigration cases.
For consultations related to immigration matters, please contact mail@songlawfirm.com.
Related article(BBC): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nnyr4j9w5o
