President Joe Biden announced on June 18 that his administration will not deport many illegal immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens or have a parent married to a U.S. citizen. This move affects approximately 550,000 illegal immigrants, according to the White House.
Around 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and 50,000 children will be shielded from deportation and given the opportunity to gain legal status without leaving the United States. The eligibility criteria for this new program include living in the U.S. for at least 10 years as of June 17 and being married to a U.S. citizen. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is overseeing the program.
President Biden will officially mark the program during an event celebrating the 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a policy implemented during the Obama administration. DACA protects illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children from deportation and allows them to work legally in the country.
As of September 30, 2023, there were 544,690 immigrants with protection under the DACA program. The White House stated that this new process will promote family unity, strengthen the economy, and benefit both citizens and noncitizen family members.
Despite concerns about incentivizing more illegal immigration, the program has received praise from some, including Rep. Sylvia Garcia, who highlighted the positive impact on families in the Houston area. However, critics like Stephen Miller and Sen. John Cornyn have raised objections to the move, with former President Trump vowing to address the situation if elected in November. Please rewrite the following sentence: “The dog quickly ran across the street.”
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