On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, President Biden announced extensive new protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the United States illegally, specifically those married to American citizens. This new policy shields approximately 500,000 undocumented spouses from deportation and offers them a pathway to citizenship, along with the ability to work legally in the country. Prior to this directive, only undocumented immigrants who entered lawfully (e.g. visa overstay) had a pathway to citizenship based on marriage to a U.S. citizen.

This new directive provides a “parole in place” or legal protection for those whose unlawful entry (e.g. entry with no valid travel docs) would have kept them from getting a green card based on marriage to U.S. citizen and faced deportation.

This initiative marks one of the broadest presidential actions in over ten years aimed at safeguarding immigrants.

The announcement coincides with the 12-year anniversary of DACA, which shields individuals brought to the U.S. as children from deportation and will be celebrated at a White House event. In response to the contentious issue of immigration, Biden aims to strike a delicate balance. While recently implementing stricter border policies to address public concerns, he has also committed to supporting undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years.

Additionally, Biden plans to outline measures that streamline access to work visas for undocumented young people, commonly referred to as Dreamers. These actions come after discussions where White House officials reassured progressives about Biden's commitment to a more compassionate approach to immigration, countering criticism following recent asylum restrictions.

The benefits for undocumented spouses are slated to launch by the end of summer, allowing eligible individuals to apply for legal status without the need to leave the country, thus avoiding prolonged separations from their families. To qualify, spouses must have resided in the U.S. for a decade and been married to an American citizen as of June 17, without a criminal record. These benefits also extend to around 50,000 children of undocumented spouses who have become stepchildren to American citizens.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact Oke Legal Group at 469-706-0191 or via email with any questions.

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