President Biden announced new rules on Tuesday aimed at protecting immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation.
Department Homeland Security The administration explained that it is implementing a new policy that will allow some immigrants, including noncitizen spouses and children of lawful U.S. permanent residents or citizens, to apply for lawful permanent residence.
The White House said it hopes the policy will protect about 500,000 American families, including about 50,000 people under 21 who are married to or have children of U.S. citizens.
FBI Director Wray warned about the terrorism threat posed by open borders just days before the arrests of eight ISIS suspects across the US.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Abbots Creek Community Center during an economic policy promotion event on January 18, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
A fact sheet about the plan provided to Fox News Digital by the White House outlined the eligibility requirements for the new rules, including that American spouses must have lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years, be legally married to a U.S. citizen and meet other immigration requirements. Those approved under the program will be able to apply for U.S. permanent residency after three years and will also be eligible to work in the U.S. for up to three years.
The president’s new rule will also simplify the visa process for U.S. college graduates, including those who are recipients of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, to stay in the United States if they have a degree from a U.S. institution and have a job offer from a U.S.-based company.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, on January 8, 2023. (Jim Watson/AFP)
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Asked whether the new policy would apply to people who entered the US illegally, a White House spokesman said the rule applied to “individuals who qualify under current US law and are able to adjust their status.”
“What we’re announcing is essentially a streamlined process,” the spokesman said, adding that the administration is seeking to create a “streamlined process” to “ensure some predictability” for people who are eligible for green card status.
Biden will also continue to address the current crisis at the border, with his administration planning to “strengthen resources” and work with international partners to reduce the number of crossings into the United States, according to the White House.
The White House also made clear that immigrants who pose a threat to national security or public safety would not be protected under the new rules, saying the Department of Homeland Security would remove such individuals or refer them to other agencies for further screening.
A family of five who claim to be from Guatemala and a man wearing a pink shirt who claims to be from Peru walk through the desert after crossing the border wall in the Tucson sector of the U.S.-Mexico border, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Lukeville, Arizona. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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“President Biden believes border security is essential,” a White House spokesman said of the announcement. “He also supports expanding legal pathways, keeping families together, and supporting immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades, paid taxes and contributed to their communities, and are part of the social fabric of our nation.”
