U.S. media reports have revealed that President-elect Joe Biden will announce a new bill regarding the granting of U.S. citizenship on the first day of his presidency.
The Associated Press reported, citing sources, that the new proposal concerns granting citizenship "through a long pathway of 8 years to around 11 million immigrants living in the United States unlawfully," which the agency described as a "huge reversal" of Trump's harsh immigration policies. Under the proposal, those living in the U.S. unlawfully after January 1, 2021, would have a 5-year pathway to achieve temporary legal status or a Green Card, which serves as a formal residency status. If they pass the required assessments and pay taxes while meeting basic requirements, they would then have a pathway to citizenship over the next 3 years.
The bill represents the fulfillment of Biden's promises made to his supporters during the campaign, particularly to Latino voters, as it provides one of the fastest routes to citizenship for those living unlawfully in the U.S. in recent years. However, the bill does not include the traditional trade-off of enhanced border security favored by Republicans, meaning its passage in a divided Congress may not be easy.
According to the Associated Press from an informed source, the bill consists of hundreds of pages and is scheduled to be introduced shortly after Biden takes the oath of office. Notably, Biden criticized Trump's immigration policies during his campaign, calling them "an attack on American values," and emphasized that he would "erase the damage" done by the outgoing president while also maintaining border security.
