BTN News: As a part his efforts to reform immigration policies, President Joe Biden is announcing guidance on new regulations that should help undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to get green cards. The program, with the potential to bring in some 100,000 refugees to the U.S., represents a major pivot in a stance from the U.S.’ previous administration, and underscores President Joe Biden’s struggle to strike a balance on an emotional issue for various Americans.
No more people will be eligible to apply for permanent residence, only that the process will be made more straightforward for those who already can apply to enter the process. These adjustments include lifting the rule about exiting the country throughout the time of application -a measure aimed at diminishing the administrative impediments and unprecedented stressing of families.
Under the new regulations, applicants also must have been in the United States for at least a decade and married to a U.S. citizen by June 17, 2024. It is based on an estimate that covers an estimated 500,000 people and an additional 50,000 stepchildren of U.S. citizens who could also qualify for the streamlined process.
Approved noncitizens will be granted work authorization and temporary status in the US for up to three years while they go through the process of applying for permanent residency – often referred to as a green card. This step is important in that it establishes a channel leading toward possible citizenship down the road, but only if you qualify under additional rules.
A senior administration official highlighted the desire to reduce red tape, as well as the inconvenience of having to fly abroad for processing, in an attempt to emphasize the sweep of the changes, if not the hardship they will inflict. Nevertheless, they acknowledged that a much-needed overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws still would require action from Congress as a whole.
President Joe Biden saw his push on Capitol Hill to drive comprehensive, bipartisan immigration packages through Congress stall when talks crumbled. His administration, too, has not been without trials – including ongoing legal battles related to executive orders banning asylum seekers under some circumstances – indicating that the challenges in immigration policy reform continue to perplex the nation.
By comparison, President Donald Trump divided public opinion with his rhetoric and took a tougher line on enforcement. Opposite the nuanced reform and humanitarian calculus in Biden’s approach is Trump’s mass deportations and severe crackdowns on illegal immigration, seen in his policy_in_office.
This is a significant regulatory change moving forward in President elect Biden’s immigration reform plan to be tough but at the same time compassionate and leaning on the side of granting legal residency as quickly as possible without lengthy processing time for undocumented immigrants.
