Pres. Biden announces protections for some immigrants

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Joe Biden Tuesday signed an executive order that would shield an estimated 500,000 undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation. The move would make it easier for some undocumented immigrants to get a green card and a path to U.S. citizenship. It’s also expected to face challenges in court almost immediately.

At a White House ceremony marking the 12-year anniversary of the DACA program, one of the programs that benefitted so-called Dreamers, President Biden signed an executive order that would shield some half a million undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation.

“ For those wives or husbands and their children who have lived in America for a decade and more but are undocumented. This action will allow them to file a paperwork for legal status in the united states allowing the work while they remain with their families in the United States.”

The executive action will give those individuals – who’ve lived in the country for at least 10 years - a pathway to citizenship and the ability to work legally in the U.S. President Biden emphasized that his actions are just about keeping families together.

“The action I’m announcing today will go into effect later this summer. And by the way, just as was true for the protection of dreamers, the steps on taking the day are overwhelmingly supported by the American people. No matter what the other team says, in fact polls show over 70% of Americans support this effort to keep families. important the reason is simple. It Embraces the American principle that we should be keep families together.”

The Biden Administration points out that noncitizens who pose a threat to national security or public safety will not be eligible for this process.

Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) criticized the president’s action.

“Well, the problem is, President Biden tries to please everybody and the process pleases nobody. After 2 and a half years and 94 executive orders, he finally said, well, I’m gonna get really cracked down on the border and then turns around and then essentially offers what is a huge incentive or a magnet for more illegal immigration.”

As Senator Cornyn points out, the President’s action comes 2 weeks after he signed a separate executive order that would ban migrants who cross the southern border illegally from claiming asylum. That move angered some Latino voters – who are a critical voting bloc in the November election, which is just about 5 months away. The executive order is likely to be challenged in federal court.

Copyright 2024 Gray DC. All rights reserved.