Biden Considers Providing Work Permits and Benefits to Undocumented Immigrants

President Joe Biden is set to hold a White House event next week to commemorate an Obama-era policy that provided deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, his administration is considering extending similar benefits to others without legal status but with strong ties to the United States.

White House officials are reportedly working on a plan to use Biden’s executive powers to shield spouses of U.S. citizens without legal status from deportation, granting them work permits and facilitating their path to permanent residency and ultimately American citizenship. This potential plan could be announced as early as next week, although a final decision has not yet been made. Biden, who is currently attending the Group of Seven summit in Italy, has not reviewed the proposal for approval.

In a recent event at the White House, Biden hinted at upcoming actions to improve the immigration system, following his directive to tighten asylum claims at the border. The administration is expected to use a process called “parole-in-place” to protect spouses of Americans without legal status, removing barriers to obtaining a green card and citizenship.

According to advocates, there are approximately 1.1 million immigrants without legal status married to Americans, but the actual number eligible for Biden’s plan may be smaller based on the proposal’s specifics. Lobbyists have also pushed for benefits for caregivers who lack legal status and provide essential support to American family members, though this provision is less likely to be included at this time.

As these discussions continue, the White House has invited lawmakers to an event on Tuesday to mark the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, established by Obama in 2012 to protect young immigrants without legal status, known as “dreamers.”