US President Joe Biden is considering granting green cards to nearly 4,000 undocumented immigrants facing deportation annually.
According to reports, these green cards would come with conditions, including a minimum residency of ten years requirement and a clean record with no serious criminal convictions.
Proposals from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review, dating back to September 2023, seek to provide lawful permanent residency to thousands of migrants assessed to possess “good moral character” who would face exceptional and unusual hardship if deported.
However, the process is not immediate, as applicants are cautioned about potential lengthy waits. Immigration judges would approve applications, a process that could extend over several years.
If the plan is approved – a move involving rigorous negotiations and criticism – these immigrants could integrate into society, bringing them relief legally.
Since taking office, President Biden has implemented various executive actions to reverse immigration policies enacted by his predecessor, Donald Trump, including ending the contentious “Remain in Mexico” program.
These changes come as border crossings into the US have surged in recent years, with border authorities apprehending a significant number of individuals on US terror watchlists. Fiscal years 2022 and 2023 witnessed approximately 270 such encounters, while 50 have been recorded in fiscal year 2024.
Amidst the ongoing debate on immigration and its implications, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas disclosed that over 85% of migrants entering the US are released into the country, raising concerns about border security and immigration enforcement.
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The Biden administration’s expansion of humanitarian parole has also facilitated the entry of over 320,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela into the US. This policy came under scrutiny following the tragic murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by a Venezuelan national who entered the country illegally in 2022.
Although the proposed green card initiative has yet to be approved, Congressional Republicans have criticized the Biden administration for deviating from Trump-era immigration policies, accusing it of leniency in detaining and removing migrants.
Immigration is emerging as a central issue in US politics, particularly against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential elections, and the potential awarding of Green Cards could further intensify the debate.
