Press Release: President Biden Announces Immigration Relief for American Families
Announcement During DACA Anniversary Celebration Brings Hope to DACA Recipients & Spouses of U.S. Citizens
From left to right: Mario Montoya, Saúl Rascón, and Darian Benitez.
Photo credit: Aliento
PHOENIX (June 18, 2024)—Today, Aliento fellows and youth leaders Mario Montoya, Saúl Rascón, and Darian Benitez were invited to the White House celebration marking the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. They witnessed the historic moment firsthand when President Biden announced a landmark immigration relief for immigrant families known as "Parole in Place."
"I felt honored to have been invited to the White House and have witnessed this historic announcement," Mario shared. "For many years, we have fought for our communities to be recognized. The 'Parole in Place' program is a game-changer for mixed-status families like mine to be finally recognized as what we are: American families. It gives us hope and a sense of security that we haven't felt in years."
The "Parole in Place" initiative, one of the largest immigration relief programs in recent history, aims to remove obstacles preventing undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens from obtaining green cards without leaving the country. This program promotes family unity in the immigration process while fostering greater stability in American families of mixed immigration status.
This announcement is set to positively impact the lives of approximately 1.1 million unauthorized immigrants’ spouses who are married to American citizens. Studies show that integrating these individuals into the workforce could boost the economy by billions of dollars, increasing tax revenues and consumer spending. Furthermore, the streamlined process for Dreamers to request temporary visas, such as H-1B visas for high-skilled professions, will enhance the nation's talent pool and drive innovation.
According to a senior White House official, the policy includes deportation protections for approximately half a million undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens and roughly 50,000 non-citizen children. Approved beneficiaries will have three years to apply for legal permanent residence (LPR) once their case-by-case petitions are approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
"The 'Parole in Place' program and new employment opportunities for Dreamers is a significant step forward in the right direction for Arizona and American families," said Reyna Montoya, Founder and CEO of Aliento. "While we celebrate this progress, we recognize that much work still needs to be done. Aliento remains committed to advocating for those who will not benefit from this announcement, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their immigration status, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to Arizona and in the U.S."
Today's announcement highlights ongoing efforts to provide relief and stability for countless U.S. families nationwide. This policy substantially benefits U.S. citizens and non-citizen family members who are American families by promoting family unity and strengthening the economy.
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ABOUT ALIENTO:
Aliento serves undocumented, DACA, and mixed immigration status families to transform trauma into hope and action. Aliento is youth-led, directly impacted people and allies who are co-creating and building a place where human potential is nurtured and not defined by immigration status. Aliento supports students and families impacted by the inequities of lacking an immigration status through education initiatives, arts & healing programming, leadership development training, policy & advocacy.
