President Biden is expected to announce new initiatives aimed at easing the path to permanent residency for migrants living in the US illegally while married to Americans. This move is a part of the Biden administration’s efforts to reform immigration policies and address issues related to legal status for individuals living in the country without authorization. The new policy will allow an estimated 500,000 non-citizen spouses and roughly 50,000 of their children to apply for lawful permanent resident status without having to leave the country, which could have significant implications for those who are eligible.
Additionally, President Biden is expected to announce work visa reforms for current enrollees in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The program, established by President Barack Obama, has provided protection from deportation and work permits to nearly 600,000 DACA holders since 2012. Slow processing times and bureaucratic challenges have resulted in many DACA recipients facing issues with their employment status, prompting the need for reforms to the program to streamline the process and ensure continued support for these individuals.
These policy changes come as President Biden faces criticism over his handling of the immigration crisis, particularly regarding the surge of illegal immigrants at the US-Mexico border. The surge began during Biden’s first year in office, following his decision to reverse several Trump-era immigration policies, including the “Remain in Mexico” policy. This decision resulted in a significant increase in illegal border crossings, with a record nearly 2.5 million people apprehended in fiscal year 2023, in addition to an estimated 670,000 individuals who evaded authorities.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has faced criticism for his handling of border security, has stated that more than 85% of those detained for illegally crossing the border have been released into the US. This has raised concerns about the impact of the administration’s immigration policies and the need for reforms to address the challenges faced by border security officials. President Biden’s new initiatives to ease the path to permanent residency for migrants and implement work visa reforms for DACA enrollees are seen as steps towards addressing some of these challenges and ensuring a more comprehensive approach to immigration policy.
