The United States of America has been facing a number of challenges by taking immigration policy and border control. Since joe Biden Stepped in office, he is consistently addressing immigration system and border security. The latest Joe Biden’s immigration policy has connections with political benefits because of upcoming elections in November 2024.
The policy announced by president Joe Biden, provides a substantial citizenship pathway to undocumented immigrants who married with American citizens along with their children. The president also clarified that the new immigration plan will absolutely not facilitate the asylum seekers at the U.S-Mexico border.
There is another group of immigrants known as ‘dreamers’ who has also been addressed in latest immigration policy. These individuals came in United States of America during their childhood. Joe Biden said, now these dreamers are contributing in our economy and are part of our social fabric as well.
Joe Biden immigration policy for keeping families together
Biden’s immigration policy has the family orientation where it will provide a way for keeping families together. Now, the spouses of American nationals who are living in USA can submit application for permanent residency while residing in country. Before this immigration plan, the spouses of US nationals had to exit and apply from their home country for permanent residency. There was no guarantee in this process to re-enter in USA and moreover it was time taking with 3years to 10years of time span.
For eligibility, both partners should be tied with marriage relationship and have lived in United States of America for at least one decade. Additionally, the spouse should not be a threat to national security and public safety.
This process will accommodate noncitizen partners along with their children to get permanent residency. The Department of Homeland Security have been tasked to ensure ‘’keeping families together’’ without deportation insecurities.
Statistically, under this plan of action, approximately 0.5 million spouses and 50 thousand children under 21-years of old whose parents married with U.S. citizen will qualify to get on this immigration track.
Immigration plan for Dreamers
DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, this program having connections with immigration was introduced in 2012 by former president Barak Obama. It was a temporary relief from deportation for those undocumented children who came in USA along with their parents. These childhood arrivals are also known as dreamers. Under this program, these children were allowed to get Identity card, work permit, and driving license. The validity period of one time DACA approval is 2 years that can be renewed. Despite giving space to these individuals in U.S. society, this policy is not a way that leads to permanent residency instead it’s just a temporary residence.
Now with recent immigration plan for dreamers, DACA recipients will get an opportunity to change their track from temporary residence to main stream immigration process. The dreamers along with some other individuals who have completed a degree from U.S. institution of higher education and have a job offer related to their education from USA’s employer would be able to get work visas more quickly.
According to Joe Biden’s immigration policy, facilitation will be given to families and dreamers but restrictions will be imposed on asylum seekers. The security along with U.S-Mexico border has been further tightened to block the border crossing. However, this hardline immigration approach has been challenged in court by some immigrant groups.
Political aspects of Joe Biden's immigration policy
President Joe Biden has some political gains with his new immigration plan just a few months before the presidential elections that will be held on 5th November 2024. The Republicans argued that Joe Biden immigration policy portrays the political will of Democrats where they are ready to grant work permits and citizenship to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.
Some statistics has been released regarding immigration issues in United States of America, where according to Pew research center around 57% people said, dealing immigration should be top priority for government and congress. The immigration Hub published a poll in April 2024 in which 71% people in seven states favored the undocumented spouses living in U.S. for more than five years. On the other hand, above 50% voters are interested in deportation of undocumented immigrants from USA, according to polling done by Reuters.