US President Joe Biden announces strong policy, great opportunities for long-time illegal immigrants

On June 18, US President Joe Biden announced new protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have lived illegally in the country for years but are married to local citizens.

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US President Joe Biden speaks at an event at the White House on June 18, marking the 12th anniversary of the DACA program that protects immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation. (Source: AP)

According to a statement posted on the White House website, under the new policy, non-US citizen spouses and children can apply for legal permanent residence without leaving the country, eliminating the lengthy process and family separation.

To qualify, illegal immigrants must have lived in the United States for 10 years or more as of June 17, be legally married to a U.S. citizen, and meet all other applicable legal requirements. The White House estimates that, on average, those eligible for the process have lived in the United States for 23 years.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will evaluate each case on a case-by-case basis and those approved will have a three-year window to apply for permanent residency. They will be allowed to stay with their families in the United States and be eligible to work for up to three years.

With the new policy, about 500,000 undocumented people and 50,000 children under 21 years old whose parents are US citizens will be protected and have the opportunity to work legally here.

If granted permanent resident status (green cards), these illegal immigrants can eventually apply for US citizenship.

Those deemed a threat to public safety or with criminal records will not be eligible. Enforcement will begin in the coming months and the majority of beneficiaries will be of Mexican descent.

“These actions will promote family unity and strengthen our economy ,” the statement said.

This is one of the 46th White House's strongest policies to protect immigrants in more than a decade, marking 12 years of the program protecting immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation (DACA).

The decision comes as President Biden tries to strike a balance on immigration policy, one of the most prominent political issues in 2024.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tong-thong-us-joe-biden-cong-bo-chinh-sach-manh-me-co-hoi-lon-cho-nguoi-nhap-cu-trai-phep-lau-nam-275497.html