New executive action to protect immigrant spouses and children of US citizens – Joe Biden
The Biden administration announced an executive action on Tuesday allowing certain undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens to apply for lawful permanent residency without leaving the country. This move aims to provide legal status and protections for about 500,000 American families and roughly 50,000 noncitizen children under 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen. The executive action is seen as a significant relief program for undocumented immigrants, similar in scope to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012.
Currently, undocumented individuals who marry U.S. citizens must leave the country to apply for legal residency, creating significant uncertainty and disruption. The new policy will allow these individuals to apply from within the U.S., which the Biden administration argues will help keep families together.
The change targets key Latino constituencies in battleground states and is part of Biden’s broader effort to appeal to immigration advocates and progressives. However, the action has already faced legal challenges and criticism from Republicans, who argue it creates incentives for illegal immigration.
Eligible applicants must have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen. The application process is expected to open by the end of the summer. Immigration experts note that this change could impact up to 550,000 individuals, potentially allowing them to access higher-wage jobs and contribute more effectively to the economy.
Biden’s announcement has received mixed reactions from politicians. While some Democrats praised the move, others in vulnerable seats were more cautious. Immigration-advocacy groups have welcomed the action but stressed that more work is needed to address the broader issues within the immigration system.
This particular information put smiles on the faces of ghanaian citizens who plan to use Ghana’s qualification to the world cup to escape the country to secure a US citizenship.
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