On June 18, 2024, the United States President Biden and his Administration announced that they will take action to secure the border in an effort to help migrant families stay together. The President and his administration have taken actions to secure the border, including:
- Carrying out executive orders to bar migrants from crossing the Southern border illegally to obtain asylum
- Positioning record number of law enforcement personnel, infrastructure, and technology at the Southern border
- Confiscation of high amounts of fentanyl at all ports of entry
- Nullifying the visas of all CEOs and government officers outside the U.S who are benefitting from foreigners entering the U.S. unlawfully and;
- Increasing efforts to demolish human smuggling networks and prosecute persons who break U.S. immigration laws
President Biden is optimistic about expanding legal pathways and keeping families together. He is all for protecting the migrants who have lived in the U.S. and contributed to their communities for decades; these people are part of the social structure of our country.
The Day One Immigration Reform Plan that President Biden submitted to Congress reflects both the need for a secure border and protections for the long-term undocumented. While Congress was unsuccessful in acting on these reforms, the Biden-Harris Administration has diligently labored to strengthen our immigration system. Additionally, not only has the Administration vigorously defended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy but it also has extended the Affordable Care Act coverage to DACA beneficiaries and simplified, expanded, and established new reunification programs so that families can stay together while they complete the immigration process.
There is more that can be done to bring tranquility of mind and stability to Americans living in mixed-status families as well as the younger generation educated in this country, including Dreamers. That is why today, President Biden announced new actions for people who have been living in the country for many years to keep their American families together and permit more young people to be instrumental in our economy.
Actions That Will Take Place
President Biden, in his announcement, would like to see the following accomplished:
- Ensure that U.S. citizens with their noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together
- This new process will assist noncitizen spouses and their children in applying for lawful permanent residence status that they already are eligible for without having to leave the country
- It is hoped that these immigration changes will foster family unity and strengthen the U.S. economy and that the country will greatly benefit from helping U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together
- To be able to fulfill all applicable legal requirements, noncitizens must - as of June 17, 2024, have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 or more consecutive years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen. On average, those individuals eligible for this process have resided in the U.S. for 23 years
- Immigrants who are approved after DHS’s case-by-case assessment of their application will be afforded three years to apply for permanent residency. Those individuals will be allowed to stay with their families in the U.S. and be eligible for work authorization for up to three years. Only legally married couples will be eligible
- With this action in place half a million spouses of U.S. citizens will be protected and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under 21 years of age whose parents are married to a U.S. citizen
Get Legal Help
If you are married to a U.S. citizen, need protection from deportation, and you satisfy all lawful immigration requirements it is in your best interest to seek legal counsel. Do not delay to call Gambacorta Law Office at 847-443-9303 for your first free consultation.
