President Joe Biden recently announced a plan to extend legal status to spouses of U.S. citizens, providing the opportunity for hundreds of thousands of immigrants to apply for permanent residency and potentially citizenship without having to leave the country for up to 10 years. This new plan will allow immigrants who have lived in the United States for at least 10 years and are married to a U.S. citizen to qualify for legal status. However, some immigrants, such as Claudia Zúniga, whose husband was not in the United States, may still be left out of this opportunity.
While the announcement brought hope and excitement to many immigrants and their families, it also highlighted the limitations and eligibility requirements that come with every immigration benefit. For example, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects young immigrants from deportation, required applicants to be in the U.S. by a specific date in 2012. Similarly, the recent offer for Venezuelans to gain temporary status had a cutoff date of July 31, 2023, leaving those who arrived after that date ineligible.
Despite the restrictions, the new plan has been celebrated by immigration advocates for its potential to provide relief and security to many families. For individuals like Angelica Martinez, who watched the announcement with her children at an immigrant advocacy group in Houston, the news brought a mix of emotions, including joy and sadness. While many are encouraged by the opportunity for a more stable future, hundreds of thousands of spouses who do not meet the 10-year residency requirement may still be left without legal protection.
The impact of this plan extends beyond just spouses, as about 50,000 noncitizen children with parents married to U.S. citizens may also qualify for legal status. Additionally, the new regulations announced by Biden will make it easier for DACA beneficiaries and other young immigrants to qualify for established work visas, providing further opportunities for individuals seeking legal protection. The hope is that these changes will allow families like Brenda Valle’s in Los Angeles and Magdalena Gutiérrez’s in Chicago to plan for a more secure and hopeful future.
While the details of the application process and implementation of this plan are still pending, many affected families are feeling hopeful and optimistic about the potential for a resolution in their immigration status. Allyson Batista, a retired teacher from Philadelphia who is married to a Brazilian immigrant, expressed her optimism about the future and the possibility of her husband finally being able to apply for a green card. As the next steps unfold in the coming months, immigrant families across the country are eagerly anticipating the opportunity for legal protection and stability in their lives.
