President Joe Biden urged U.S. lawmakers to pass comprehensive immigration reforms in his State of the Union address on February 7th – including moves that would see new paths opened up for citizenship for both undocumented migrants, and those who have valid visas.
Referring to those on DACA status, who entered the U.S. as undocumented migrants when they were children, he asked for “a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, and essential workers”, “Here in the people’s House, it’s our duty to protect all the people’s rights and freedoms.” Realising the difficulty of passing such big changes to immigration law in a majority Republican house, Biden lowered his expectations and said, “If you won’t pass my comprehensive immigration reform, at least pass my plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the border.”
Biden’s administration has been attempting to push through a raft of immigration changes since entering the White House in January 2021, initially instigating temporary measures through executive orders to counteract restrictions brought into force by President Trump. Since then, the President has struggled to push through his sweeping reforms first introduced through the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 and subsequent bills in Congress.
The comments come as millions remain on waiting lists for green cards, including those who entered the country on temporary work visas like the H-1B. Alongside legal migrants, there are also up to 11 million undocumented workers left in fear of deportation due to the lack of routes to get papers and become bona-fide U.S. residents.
You can watch President Biden’s address below, asking lawmakers to “make Immigration once again a bipartisan issue” :
Do you have questions about President Biden’s Immigration Reforms? Are you looking for information on your options for citizenship or permanent residence? Get in touch today and schedule a comprehensive consultation with one of our experienced immigration attorneys.
