For some time the base had been asking him for a strong initiative in favor of migrants who have long-standing ties to the United States. A request that had become even more pressing after the decision, taken at the beginning of June, to block asylum procedures on the border with Mexico. Today US President Joe Biden announces his response, betting that the measure can help him in November’s electoral challenge: a program that offers a path to citizenship to almost half a million illegal immigrants in the United States who are married to US citizens, one large-scale legalization effort that contrasts starkly with Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan.
The measure – presented as “a new action to keep families together” – will allow approximately 490,000 spouses of US citizens the opportunity to apply for a status that protects them from deportation and offers them work permits, if they have lived in the country for at least 10 years, as anticipated by the Associated Press. Approximately 50,000 children and teenagers under 21 with a U.S. citizen parent will also be eligible. Most of the people who will benefit are of Mexican origin, Reuters points out. The program will allow spouses and children to apply for permanent residency (or green card) – potentially even citizenship – without leaving the United States, eliminating potentially lengthy processes and family separation.
From the administration’s point of view, the new program is at least the partial fulfillment of a promise, that of making the immigration system “more humane and fairer” than in the Trump era. Biden had opened his presidency with this promise, but the record number of arrests at the border with Mexico and Republicans’ aggressive campaign against illegal immigration convinced him to implement a crackdown at the border. The result was a restrictive order that essentially blocked asylum procedures at the border, angering many of his political allies and the Democratic base, starting with the Hispanic community. With this move, the president aims to regain the trust of an important part of his electorate, hoping not to compromise his chances among independent voters.
Polls give mixed indications. According to a recent poll conducted by Ipsos for Reuters, just over half of US voters favor deporting all or most illegal immigrants in the United States (something Trump has promised – or threatened, depending on your point of view – to do). However, a separate poll by the group ImmigrationHub found that 71% of voters in seven key states favor allowing spouses of US citizens of more than five years to stay. Rebecca Shi, executive director of the American Business Immigration Coalition, said focus groups conducted with independent and Republican voters showed widespread support for granting legal status to spouses. It is a measure – he declared – that “increases voter turnout in terms of Latino and grassroots voters, but also has the support of the center and the right”, also because the majority of people – he underlined – are convinced that it’s already like this.
Trump’s bet is that this won’t be the case. In recent months the former president has doubled down on his anti-immigration rhetoric, making it his forte. His campaign spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, branded Biden’s new program an “amnesty” and reiterated Trump’s mass deportation plan, saying that if re-elected he would “restore the rule of law.” Although the new measure is aimed only at those who have been in the US for some time, the Republicans have used alarmist tones. Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, called it a “huge magnet” for would-be immigrants, saying it will “attract even more people” to the border.
What is certain is that, after the many criticisms coming from the left, the Democratic administration wanted to give the announcement a highly symbolic dimension, making it coincide with a ceremony at the White House on the occasion of the twelfth anniversary of the “Dreamers” directive signed by then-President Barack Obama, which offered protection from deportation for young undocumented immigrants. Biden is also expected to launch a policy to make recipients of the program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), eligible for visas in place of the temporary work authorization they receive today. However, the provision could be subject to legal challenges, just as happened to Daca. “This is the biggest thing since DACA,” a source close to the matter told NBC News, adding that it was a smart political move by the Biden administration.
In recent weeks – especially after the border crackdown, formalized on June 4 – the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has called on Biden to act to protect spouses of US citizens from deportation and to consider a policy that would make work visas available to college graduates Americans who arrived in the country without authorization as children. Supporters insisted on the political benefits of these measures for Democrats. “We expect immigrant and Latino voters to express their gratitude at the polls in November,” commented Gustavo Torres, president of Casa in Action. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a Democrat at the White House event, highlighted that relief for spouses is a way for the administration to balance recent border enforcement measures. According to Ashley DeAzevedo, president of American Families United, there is bipartisan support for providing an easier path to citizenship for immigrants who are now settled and contributing to the growth of the United States. In a few months we will know if Biden’s approach – soft on those inside, hard on those who want to get there – will have really convinced even the moderates.
Biden “believes that ensuring border security is essential,” the White House said in a statement. At the same time, “he also believes in expanding legal pathways and keeping families together, and that immigrants who have been in the United States for decades, paying taxes and contributing to their communities, are part of the social fabric of our country.” . Something Trump and most of his voters would have a lot to say about.
