The Biden-Harris Administration just announced June 17, 2024 exciting news that will provide new protections to certain spouses of US Citizens and streamline access to work visas for DACA-holders.

The announcement comes in the heels of DACA marking 12 years on June 15, 2024 since President Obama (and Biden as Vice-President) announced it in 2012. The new process announced by the Biden-Harris Administration will allow:

1. Keeping Families Together:

   • Certain Noncitizen spouses and children will be eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence (green card) -- status that they are already eligible for -- without leaving the US (often called Parole in Place*).

   • In order to be eligible, noncitizens must – as of June 17, 2024 – have resided in the United States for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen, while satisfying all applicable legal requirements. On average, those who are eligible for this process have resided in the U.S. for 23 years.

   • Those who are approved after DHS’s case-by-case assessment of their application will be afforded a three-year period to apply for permanent residency. They will be allowed to remain with their families in the United States and be eligible for work authorization for up to three years. This will apply to all married couples who are eligible.  

   • This action will protect approximately half a million spouses of U.S. citizens, and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under the age of 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen.

2. Easing the Visa Process for U.S. College Graduates, Including Dreamers:

• Allow individuals, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers, who have earned a degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education in the United States, and who have received an offer of employment from a U.S. employer in a field related to their degree, to more quickly receive work visas.

You can read the announcement from the White House here. 

You can read the Department of Homeland Security here.

REMEMBER: the process to apply has not been announced. Stay alert. Do not fall for scams.

Legal Immigration Resources:

Here is a list of legal resources from the Minnesota Latino Affairs Council. And here is a list by the Minnesota State Law Library. The Presidents' Alliance of Higher Education and Immigration will be hosting on July 10, 2024 at 11AM (PT) an online event to explain more about the announcement of today--register here.