President Joe Biden paved the way this Tuesday for the regularization of hundreds of thousands of migrants When there are less than five months until the November presidential elections, a decision criticized by his Republican rival donald trump.
Specifically, Biden simplifies the process so that migrants married to Americans, in addition to their children, can obtain the residence permit, the famous green card, without having to leave the country to request it.
The measures will benefit those who have been living “in the country for at least 10 years” and if they get it, they will be eligible for a work permit and apply for citizenship. The government estimates that some 500,000 migrants, In addition to “some 50,000 stepchildren of Americans,” they will be able to benefit from the new regulations.
Additionally, Biden will accelerate the granting of work visas for graduates of American higher education centers, as long as “they have received a highly qualified job offer,” the White House reported.
This measure will benefit the “dreamers” or “dreamers”That is, migrants who came to the United States as children and are protected by a federal program (DACA), which allows them to live and work legally in the country.
The Democrat announced his new measures at an event to commemorate the twelfth DACA anniversaryin which he criticized Republicans in the lower house of Congress for refusing to debate a bipartisan immigration package that would have imposed drastic measures.
“Guarantee the security”
Biden tries to balance deal with criticism from the Republicans and from the Americans who, according to surveys, want a tough line against migration and to deal with the reproaches of the left wing of the Democrats, who consider their policy too conservative in this area. He defends himself.
“As president I had to take these actions, each country must guarantee the security of its borders; “It’s that simple,” he said this Tuesday, days after signing a decree that restricts the entry of migrants through the border with Mexico when there are more than 2,500 irregular crossings in the seven-day average.
“Since we implemented my order crossings have decreased by 25% on the border,” he said, and assured that he does not “politick” with the immigration issue unlike Trump, whom he accused of having called Republican congressmen a few months ago to tell them “not to move forward” with the bipartisan package. .
He also criticized Trump once again for saying that migrants “they poison the blood” of the country, for calling them “animals” and for threatening to confine them if he wins the elections. “It’s hard to believe what he’s saying, but he’s saying it out loud,” Biden said.
Trump, who during his term wanted to end DACA claiming that it was unconstitutional, harshly condemned the new measures. “This Biden amnesty is a direct attack on American democracy,” he said at a rally, and promised to overthrow him if he wins the elections.
The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, instead described it as “advance” and “good news.” Migrant defense associations such as the powerful American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, did the same.
“This policy will help keep families together (…) and is popular with voters,” said Deirdre Schifeling, political director of the ACLU, quoted in a statement. “It is morally correct, economically sound and politically intelligent,” said Rebecca Shi, director of the American Business Immigration Coalition.
Among those attending the DACA commemorative event was the “dreamer” Javier Quiroz Castro, who works as a nurse thanks to DACA. Today’s announcements “will prevent hundreds of thousands of families like mine across America from being torn apart,” he said.
