President Joe Biden, in a strategic move to bolster his chances for re-election, is set to announce a new immigration policy aimed at protecting hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses of American citizens from deportation. According to administration officials cited by the BBC, this policy will apply to those who have been living in the U.S. for at least 10 years, allowing them to work legally.

The White House estimates that more than 500,000 spouses of American citizens, together with 50,000 young individuals under the age of 21 whose parents are married to U.S. citizens, will benefit from this initiative. In early June, Biden committed to making the U.S. immigration system “more fair.”

Eligible individuals will have three years to apply for permanent residency and will undergo a selection process to receive a three-year work permit. The White House believes that those eligible for the process have been in the U.S. for an average of 23 years, with the majority born in Mexico.

Lobby Reactions

Lobby groups reacted swiftly, with the immigration reform organization NumbersUSA condemning Biden’s new policy as “unconscionable.” CEO James Massa stated that “instead of stopping the worst border crisis in U.S. history, President Biden has overstepped his executive authority to use an unconstitutional process. He bypassed voters and their elected representatives in Congress to send the message that ‘amnesty’ is available to those who enter the United States illegally.”

This move by Biden comes just 15 days after issuing an order allowing American officials to swiftly remove migrants who enter the U.S. illegally without processing their asylum claims.

As the presidential election approaches, polls indicate that immigration remains a crucial issue for many American voters, according to the BBC.