US President Joe Biden announced a new immigration policy offering potential citizenship to hundreds of thousands of immigrants without legal status, Associated Press reports.
To qualify, immigrants must have lived in the US for 10 years and be married to a US citizen as of the announcement date. If approved, they can apply for a green card within three years and receive a temporary work permit and protection from deportation. It could affect up to half a million immigrants. The policy also affects about 50,000 noncitizen children with US citizen parents. Applications will be open by the end of the summer, and fees are yet to be determined.
Biden emphasized the importance of securing the border while embracing immigration, contrasting his approach with former President Donald Trump’s hardline stance. Trump criticized Biden’s policy, promising to repeal it if re-elected.
