Biden to offer legal status to undocumented immigrants

ISTANBUL

The Biden administration is set to announce a major immigration aid package granting legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for at least 10 years, officials told CBC News.

The program, known as Parole in Place, would provide work permits and protections from deportation to undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens, according to sources familiar with the project.

This initiative would pave the way for permanent legal status and U.S. citizenship by eliminating legal barriers that prevent those who have entered the United States illegally from obtaining a green card without leaving the country.

The administration also plans to streamline procedures for undocumented immigrants to obtain temporary visas, such as H-1B visas for high-skilled workers.

The announcement is expected to coincide with the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects from deportation an estimated 530,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.

While final details are still being worked out, White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez emphasized the administration’s commitment to fixing the nation’s “broken immigration system.”

The program is likely to face legal challenges from Republican-led states and opposition from Republican lawmakers, such as Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, who say it will exacerbate the border crisis.

The program is considered the largest immigration aid initiative since DACA, reflecting President Joe Biden’s increased willingness to use executive action on immigration ahead of the November presidential election.

According to the latest government estimates, approximately 11 million immigrants reside in the United States without legal authorization.

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