Undocumented spouses, children of US citizens can stay while applying for permanent residence, Biden announces

President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security will allow certain noncitizen spouses and children to apply for lawful permanent residence without leaving the country. 

The new process aims to ensure U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together while awaiting immigration status adjustments and strengthen the economy, according to the White House.

“President Biden believes that securing the border is essential,” the White House states in a fact sheet. “He also believes in expanding lawful 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.”

To be eligible for this opportunity,  an undocumented spouse must have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024. On average, those eligible have lived in the U.S. for 23 years, according to the White House.

Approved applicants will be granted a three-year period to apply for permanent residency, during which they can remain in the U.S. with their families and receive work authorization. It’s estimated this policy will protect around 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under 21 whose parents are married to U.S. citizens. 

It’s currently unclear how many Haitians in the U.S. will be affected by this policy.

Biden also announced measures to ease the visa process for U.S. college graduates, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers. This initiative aims to help young people who have earned degrees at accredited U.S. institutions and have received job offers in fields related to their degrees obtain work visas more quickly.

The administration is facilitating the employment visa process for college graduates with high-skilled job offers, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers, allowing them to contribute more effectively to the country’s economy.

“Recognizing that it is in our national interest to ensure that individuals who are educated in the U.S. are able to use their skills and education to benefit our country, the Administration is taking action to facilitate the employment visa process for those who have graduated from college and have a high-skilled job offer, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers,” the White House said.

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