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President Biden has proposed a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens and have lived in the country for at least a decade. The White House estimates this plan could benefit over 500,000 people. Additionally, Biden revealed a strategy to streamline the process for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients and other Dreamers to access high-skilled employment visas. This will enable employers to retain their critical workforce while providing DACA recipients the opportunity to continue contributing to their local communities. As Biden stated, "It's the right thing to do. I want those who've been educated at U.S. colleges and universities to put their skills and knowledge to work here in America. I want to keep building the strongest economy in the world with the best workforce in the world. We've already created 15 million new jobs, a record."

For over a decade, these families have been integral members of our society. They've raised children, attended church and school, paid taxes, and contributed to our nation for an average of 23 years. Despite living in the United States all this time, they've endured fear and uncertainty. President Biden is committed to addressing this, without requiring any fundamental changes to our immigration laws. This move has received praise from major immigrant and Latino advocacy groups, as well as Democratic leaders. By taking action, the President is helping hundreds of thousands of non-citizen spouses and step-children of Americans to stay with their loved ones, including many from Asia and the Pacific Islands who have lived here for years. Additionally, streamlining visa processes for Dreamers will reduce bureaucratic hurdles, allowing young people to secure employment and further contribute to our communities and economy.

The new government initiative is a tremendous blessing for over half a million American households, offering a significant lift to the nation's economic well-being and community cohesion nationwide. The recent announcement will profoundly improve the lives of countless immigrants and families across America who have been living in constant fear and doubt for far too long, according to Jorge Loweree, the managing director of the American Immigration Council. While there is still much work to be done to address the needs of thousands of other mixed-status families nationwide, this announcement is a historic milestone that will benefit immigrant families, our communities, and our economy alike, he added. Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged that while these actions represent a significant stride forward, more work is needed to fix the broken immigration system, including the crucial step of providing a path to citizenship for Dreamers. President Biden and Harris continue to urge the United States Congress to join them in taking action and passing permanent protections for Dreamers, she stated.

Furthermore, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to keep American families together and end the fear and uncertainty faced by families where one spouse is a US citizen and the other is undocumented. We who have lived in the United States for at least a decade can now pursue a route to attain permanent legal residency without first having to depart our country for an uncertain duration. This approach will uphold family unity, a core objective of our immigration framework. It will also bolster our economy, advance our labor interests, fortify our international relations with vital regional partners, and further our public safety objectives, among other benefits. Moreover, we will collaborate with the State Department to implement revisions to the inadmissibility waiver process. This will enable certain non-citizens who received their education in the United States, including DACA recipients, to access high-skill work visas for which they are eligible.