President Joe Biden‘s new immigration-related executive order goes to additional lengths to keep migrant families together as 2.4 million of them have already benefited through existing naturalization programs and spousal citizenship.
The “parole in place” program is the administration’s attempt to ensure that U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together. It will protect roughly 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and 50,000 noncitizen children under age 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen, according to the White House.
To be eligible, noncitizens must have, as of June 17, resided in the U.S. for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen while satisfying all applicable legal requirements. Those who are eligible have resided in the country on average for 23 years.
“There is more that we can do to bring peace of mind and stability to Americans living in mixed-status families as well as young people educated in this country, including Dreamers,” the White House said on Tuesday. “That is why today, President Biden announced new actions for people who have been here many years to keep American families together and allow more young people to contribute to our economy.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for further comment.
Since the 2020 fiscal year, roughly 2.43 million migrants who have spent at least three years in the U.S. and were married to U.S. citizens ultimately became citizens through naturalization. The U.S. fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.
According to 2023 fiscal year naturalization statistics published in May by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), about 15.6 percent of naturalizations involved lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who were in the country for at least three years and married to U.S. citizens.
There were 291,100 immediate relatives of U.S. citizens naturalized the last fiscal year, including 188,200 who were citizens’ spouses. There were 878,500 total people naturalized.
The following is a list of numbers and percentages of LPRs with three years’ living experience in the U.S. who were married to U.S. citizens:
- 2022 — 967,500 naturalized citizens; 248,300 married LPRs (about 13.8 percent)
- 2021 — 809,100 naturalized citizens; 243,800 married LPRs (about 16.4 percent)
- 2020 — 625,400 naturalized citizens; 175,200 married LPRs (about 14 percent).
Part of the 2020 fiscal year includes the presidency of Donald Trump.
This is the second immigration-related executive order issued in a matter of weeks. Earlier this month, the president signed an order that would cap daily southern border crossings at 2,500, not reopening until numbers fell to 1,500 or below.
Numerous civil rights and immigration groups are suing the administration for what they describe as a policy that will hinder asylum seekers and put them in harm’s way.
A spokesperson for Democratic Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, the only Latina in the Senate, told Newsweek via email that the lawmaker “has been calling for these executive actions for years.”
“I’m thrilled to celebrate this incredible step forward,” the senator said in a statement. “The Biden administration understands that you can invest in border security and stand with immigrant families—it’s the right thing to do, and it’s the smart thing to do.”
In Nevada, there are roughly 136,000 U.S. citizens living with at least one family member who is undocumented in addition to 10,500 DACA recipients (so-called “Dreamers”).
Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California said in a statement shared with Newsweek via email that Biden’s order will provide “a clearer path” for sponsoring work visas and provide Dreamers with employment opportunities, with the ability to retain their contributions to the U.S.
“These actions aren’t only the morally right thing to do, they are in America’s best interest,” Padilla said. “The individuals and families who will benefit from these protections contribute immensely to our economy and our country. They are living proof that the American Dream still exists—and today that American Dream moves forward.”
Immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi told Newsweek via email that Biden’s immigration orders are “a strategic move designed to enhance his administration’s image” approaching what is expected to be a close election.
“This policy offers essential stability and security to thousands of families, highlighting a commitment to humanitarian values,” Berardi said. “Yet, for many, it may seem insufficient and delayed, especially considering the administration’s prior asylum restrictions and persistent immigration reform challenges.
“Furthermore, it appears to reward those who have violated U.S. immigration laws while countless law-abiding individuals endure lengthy waits for similar benefits.”
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