Photo credit: Washington Post
President Joe Biden of the United States has extended temporary legal status for about 1 million immigrants from El Salvador, Venezuela, and Ukraine.
The Times of India reports that the decision will benefit over 200,000 Salvadorans, 600,000 Venezuelans, and others. This comes a few days before President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to rigorously enforce immigration policies leading to massive deportations, takes office on January 20.
The Biden administration, in final acts on immigration policy, ratified an extension for another 18 months.
Last year, Biden announced a new immigration policy which allowed spouses of American citizens to obtain legal status if they were illegal immigrants.
The policy is applicable to those who have been residing in the country for not less than 10 years and are married to a US citizen before June 17, 2024. The White House expected the move to benefit at least 500,000 people in addition to some 50,000 stepchildren of US citizens.
Mr Trump is determined to intensify his crackdown on illegal immigration and restrict legal immigration when he returns to the White House. He reaffirmed his approach to immigration in Duluth, Georgia, saying, “Immediately upon taking the oath of office, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history.”
