Miguel Aleman, a 39-year-old who arrived in the U.S. from Mexico at age 4, is among the many immigrants eagerly anticipating the launch of a new citizenship program introduced by President Joe Biden\u2019s administration. This program, set to begin on Monday, offers a significant opportunity for long-term U.S. residents who initially entered the country illegally to gain legal status.<\/p>\n
The initiative represents one of President Biden’s most significant efforts to provide legal pathways for immigrants ahead of the upcoming November 5 election, where immigration is expected to be a key issue, particularly for Republicans.<\/p>\n
Without this program, Aleman, who has two young children with his U.S.-citizen wife and works as an Uber driver, would have faced the daunting prospect of relocating to Mexico, potentially for a decade or longer, before being able to return to the U.S. legally.<\/p>\n
Aleman, along with several other immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, and the Philippines, attended an information session organized by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles on Friday. He emphasized the importance of the program, stating, \u201cMy whole family is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program, titled Keeping Families Together<\/strong>, was announced in June and is expected to benefit approximately 500,000 immigrant spouses who have resided in the U.S. for at least 10 years as of June 17. Additionally, around 50,000 children under the age of 21 with a U.S.-citizen parent will also be eligible.<\/p>\n Biden introduced this legalization program before stepping out of the presidential race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has since become the Democratic nominee. Harris is set to accept the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday.<\/p>\n As the election nears, Republicans, led by former President Donald Trump, have criticized the Biden administration\u2019s immigration policies. Trump has labeled the new citizenship program as a \u201cmass amnesty\u201d and has promised to increase deportations if reelected. Meanwhile, Harris has defended the administration\u2019s efforts, calling for \u201can earned pathway to citizenship\u201d for undocumented immigrants.<\/p>\n The Keeping Families Together<\/strong> program allows eligible spouses to apply for permanent residency without leaving the U.S., bypassing the need to spend years abroad before being permitted to return. Once a spouse obtains permanent residency, they can apply for citizenship after three years.<\/p>\n The program may face legal challenges from Republicans, but it also offers a new avenue for individuals enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to seek permanent status. DACA, initiated by President Barack Obama in 2012 with Biden as vice president, provides deportation relief and work permits to immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.<\/p>\n Miguel Aleman, currently enrolled in DACA, hopes to secure permanent status through the Keeping Families Together<\/strong> program, stating, \u201cI want to keep contributing to this country.\u201d<\/p>\n