Biden Administration Announces Relief Measures for Undocumented Immigrants Ahead of Elections

Facing increasing pressure on immigration issues, President Joe Biden's administration has announced new measures that could provide relief to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the United States.

On Tuesday, the administration revealed a plan allowing spouses of some U.S. citizens who are currently without legal status to apply for permanent residency and eventually citizenship. This plan is set to benefit more than half a million immigrants.

Eligibility for the new plan includes:

Immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years as of Monday and are married to a U.S. citizen.

Approximately 50,000 non-citizen children with a parent married to a U.S. citizen may also qualify.

There is no requirement for the duration of the marriage, but no new applicants will be eligible after June 17, 2024.

Qualifying immigrants will receive several benefits once their application is approved, including a three-year window to apply for a green card, a temporary work permit, and protection from deportation.

Senior administration officials indicated that the application process is expected to open by the end of the summer, with fees yet to be determined.

President Biden is scheduled to discuss these plans at a White House event on Tuesday afternoon, which coincides with the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This popular Obama-era initiative offers deportation protections and temporary work permits for young immigrants without legal status.

White House officials have also privately encouraged House Democrats, currently in recess, to return to Washington for the announcement.