White House announces date for immigration benefits for undocumented immigrants married to Americans

The White House announced on Wednesday that undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens eligible for the immigration benefit announced by President Joe Biden will be able to begin the process to obtain legal status while remaining in the country with their families starting August 19, 2024.

Hector Quiroga, immigration attorney

“This executive order from the president says that people who entered the country more than 10 years ago, are married to a citizen, the marriage occurs before June 17, 2024, and those who do not are inadmissible to a residence.”

This relief will benefit approximately half a million spouses of U.S. citizens and 50,000 undocumented children of parents who are married to a U.S. citizen. Maricela Medina says that the measure gives her family peace of mind to remain united without fear of deportation.

Maricela Medina, an American married to an undocumented immigrant

“Even if I had filed a petition to fix it, he does not qualify because he has two illegal entries. The first one was when he was 15 years old and a second one in 2008. So, the latter is the main thing that eliminates him from any immigration benefit.”

Biden’s new executive order also includes a process to facilitate work visas for college graduates, including dreamers, “who have obtained a degree from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education in the United States, and who have received a job offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to their career.” Paula Díaz, Voice of America, Arizona.