The Government of President Joe Biden announced this Tuesday (06/18/2024) a new program that will allow the regularization of more than half a million migrants living in the country without legal status, official sources reported.
The main beneficiaries of the measure will be the spouses of Americans and graduates of local universities, including the “dreamers”, those who entered the country as children. With this change, immigrants without a residence permit married to Americans, as well as their children, will be able to obtain it without having to leave the country to apply for it. These changes will benefit those who have been living “in the country for at least 10 years and are married to a US citizen before June 17, 2024,” the White House reports.
The Government estimates that nearly 500,000 immigrants, in addition to “some 50,000 stepchildren of American citizens,” will be able to benefit from the new regulations.
Authorities will review all applications on a case-by-case basis. Those who receive approval will have three years to apply for permanent residence, a period in which they will be able to stay in the United States and qualify for a work permit of up to three years. Once permanent residence is obtained, also known as a green card, the beneficiary can apply for citizenship.
Biden’s reform will also make it easier for graduates of American higher education centers to obtain work visas, as long as “they have received a highly qualified job offer.”
The Democrat’s announcement comes days after 12 years since the launch of DACA, a program promoted by Barack Obama’s administration when Biden was his vice president and that protects its beneficiaries, the “dreamers”, from deportation and allows them to work. .
Migration is one of the issues that most concern Americans ahead of the November elections in which Biden will seek re-election against former Republican President Donald Trump, who during his term wanted to end DACA alleging that it was unconstitutional.
(efe, afp/mn)
