Just weeks after blasting U.S. President Joe Biden's asylum ban as "a monstrosity" that echoed the approach of his predecessor, migrant rights advocates on Tuesday pointed to new executive action as proof that humane immigration policies are possible and necessary.
Biden announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will take action so that certain noncitizen spouses and children of U.S. citizens can "apply for lawful permanent residence—status that they are already eligible for—without leaving the country," which is expected to protect approximately half a million spouses and 50,000 children.
"Tackling the challenges faced by migrants and American families of mixed-immigration status requires bold and visionary leadership," declared Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) federal campaign lead. "While his recent asylum ban order was the wrong approach, we commend President Biden for meeting the moment with this order."
"This proves that leading with morality, compassion, and a smart approach is possible," Mendez-Zamora stressed. "With this, he also starts fulfilling the promises he made to our communities during his 2020 campaign. More of this, please!"
"President Biden has finally chosen to listen to advocates who have relentlessly pushed for action from his administration."
The Democratic president—who is set to face former Republican President Donald Trump, infamous for forcibly separating migrant families at the southern border, in the November election—is also easing the work visa process for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and other Dreamers who have graduated from U.S. colleges.
"Offering talented workers the opportunity to continue contributing to our country and economy is timely as DACA hangs by a thread," said FLIC executive director Tessa Petit. "This does not eliminate the need for bold congressional action; DACA recipients are Americans in all measures but paperwork, and giving them a permanent solution is morally imperative."
Several other advocates and lawmakers in Congress—including some who have criticized Biden when he has pursued anti-migrant policies reminiscent of Trump's first term—also celebrated the new moves.
"From winning DACA 12 years ago, to winning healthcare for more undocumented folks earlier this year, to now delivering even more expansive, life-changing relief for hundreds of thousands of people, none of these victories would have been possible without our movement showing up every day to fight for our lives and our rights," said Greisa Martinez Rosas, executive director of United We Dream.
"We recognize this moment as a victory for our movement, a step in the right direction for President Biden, and a recommitment to continue to fight for the day where ALL people have the dignity and freedom to stay and freedom to thrive," she added.
Praising the plan to help families stay together, Analilia Mejia and DaMareo Cooper, executive directors of the Center for Popular Democracy, said that "this win is emblematic of decades of work immigrant communities have been doing to create a more dignified system."
"President Biden has finally chosen to listen to advocates who have relentlessly pushed for action from his administration," the pair added. "We're ready to continue the work alongside his administration to fix our broken immigration system and provide a pathway to citizenship for all."
The ACLU—which last week filed a lawsuit over the Biden administration's recently unveiled asylum restrictions—also welcomed Tuesday's developments.
"We applaud President Biden," said Deirdre Schifeling, the ACLU's chief political and advocacy officer. "This policy will help keep committed, loving families together, which strengthens all of our communities and is popular with voters. This act by the president is the type of humane and commonsense action that has made America stronger, with resilient, hardworking, and patriotic people coming to our cities and small towns, building lives and vibrant, stable communities, generation upon generation."
Other supporters of the actions include America's Voice, American Immigration Lawyers Association, CASA in Action, FWD.us, Living United for Change in Arizona, Make the Road New York, National Immigration Law Center, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, and Poder Latinx as well as progressive leaders in Congress, such as Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), and Greg Casar (D-Texas).
"Disappointingly, the announced policy continues to harness the same framing of 'national security' and 'public safety.'"
Sirine Shebaya, executive director of the National Immigration Project, said that "we join our communities and fellow advocates in celebrating the tremendous grassroots efforts that led to this executive action. The announcement is a hard-fought victory that will provide much-needed relief and stability to hundreds of thousands of families who will finally be able to live without fear of being torn apart."
"We urge the administration to implement this relief broadly, without exclusions," she emphasized. "Disappointingly, the announced policy continues to harness the same framing of 'national security' and 'public safety' that DHS has long used as pretexts to exclude many Black, brown, Muslim, Arab, Asian, and other immigrants of color from critical protections."
"While this is a step in the right direction, we urge the administration to use this momentum to truly deliver on the promise it made to protect immigrant communities," she added. "As we enter another election season, our communities urgently need bold, permanent, and inclusive relief. We join the chorus of voices advocating for permanent protections for all of our community members, including the many who were excluded in today's announcement."
