- Biden administration’s comprehensive immigration relief program is a prompt attempt to reform the significantly challenged immigration system.
- The program offers safe routes to citizenship for qualified undocumented immigrants with special concern for the Indian immigrants in the U.S.
- Biden wishes to paint himself as a compassionate figure who is capable of empathizing with suffering Americans in light of the upcoming presidential election.
The Biden administration is now preparing to roll out a crucial immigration relief measure that seeks to avail legal residency to hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in America, more so in an undocumented status.
Legal Status: According to the plan, firstly, immigrants who are already living in the United States should be granted legal resident status if they have been living there for ten years or more. This includes issuing work permits and deportation shields to unauthorized persons with marriage to U. S. citizens, constituent of the “Parole in Place”. It shall ensure people who entered the country illicitly are allowed to work for legal residency and U. S. citizenship by reducing barriers that deny individuals endowed with green cards an opportunity to acquire them while in the U.S.
Eligibility: The policy will mostly involve couples or families of immigrants who are here illicitly and the policy will provide work authorization and deportation protection. Also, it wants to make a request procedure for DREAMers and other undocumented immigrants to request waivers allowing them to get other temporary visas such as H-1B visas that are provided for a high-skilled worker.
Executive Action: President Biden is gradually becoming aggressive in issuing executive actions on immigration, especially with the presidential race in mind. Last week, he used this power to partially close the asylum procedure at the southern border, which proved the president’s interest in legal changes in migration policies.
Comparison to Previous Policies: What can be found witnessing attention is that Biden’s plan to legalize 500,000 undocumented immigrants is among the most extensive and inclusive. This will be able to give several millions of immigrants with legal stay in the country if they are residing in the U. S for over a decade. Unlike previous policies, it focused on spouses of U.S. citizens and established a clear path to citizenship. Furthermore, President Biden’s preparedness for using executive measures represents a shift from previous presidents.
Historical Precedents: Legalizing immigrants without legal status is not unique to the US; there is precedence for this action. One of these is the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 under which illegal immigrants who entered the United States before early 1982 were granted legal status. Also, attempts in the 1930s and 1940s by the then Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins focused on legalizing some of the illegals in the country. The LIFA of 2000, as well as subsequent provisions of US law, have also provided LPR to some illegal immigrants.
Impact on undefined Indian-Americans
Undocumented Spouses: Currently, the spouses of U.S. citizens who have arrived in the country illegally may soon be allowed to work in the U.S. legally without deportation.
Streamlined Process: The program does facilitate its recipients to get legal status in the country since some of the immigrants who have been in the United States for ten years and above can apply for work orders and deportation shields without having to move back to their home country.
Path to Citizenship: Through this channel of getting a green card, once one acquires the card, he or she can further apply for citizenship in the United States.
Rise in the Number of Persons of Indian Origin Living in USA without Documentation
Thus, for the period from October 2022 to September 2023, according to US Customs and Border Protection, as many as 96 917 Indians were detained while trying to enter the US without permission. This is much higher compared to the figure recorded in the comparable period of 2019 to 2020 which was 19,883. Some of the causes that have led to the increase include The migration patterns throughout the world, the conditions of the minority groups people in India, the developed methods of smugglers, and incredibly long queues for visas.
Legal Indian Immigration
Currently, according to the estimation of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), there is an estimated 2.7 million immigrants of Indian origin in the United States as of 2021. There are various ways to legally immigrate to the United States from India, including family-type-based visas, employment-type-based visas, and visas based on the diversity visa lottery. Of approximately 1 million legal immigrants who arrived in the United States in the financial year 2021-22, around 64000 were Indians. Indians are the second largest immigrants in the US after China. in 2018 alone, 129,000 Indians migrated to the US.
Other Countries with large numbers of immigrants in the US
The migration from Mexico to the US is the most active migration flow in the world as there are about 12 million immigrants of Mexican origin residing in the U.S.
China is one of the top countries of origin for immigration to the United States with 149,000 foreigners of Chinese descent entering the country in 2018.
The Philippines is another country that is represented in the number of immigrants living in the United States is the Philippines which increase in 2018 with 46,000 people.
Political Implications
Domestic Politics: This is a measure that is in line with the immigration reform policies of the Democratic Party; something that is likely to please the party supporters and at the same time attract the wrath of the GOP rivals.
2024 Election Dynamics: In this respect, Biden wishes to paint himself as a compassionate figure who is capable of empathizing with suffering Americans in light of the upcoming presidential election.
Congressional Dynamics: The decision could further polarize Congress on the general issue of the reform of the immigration system.
International Relations: This decision affects the image that the world will have about how the U.S. deals with immigration; some will see it as being positive while others will feel that the country is taking strong measures to enhance border security.
In conclusion, the Biden administration’s comprehensive immigration relief program is a prompt attempt to reform the significantly challenged immigration system, and safe routes to citizenship for qualified undocumented immigrants with special concern for the Indian immigrants in the U.S.
Aayush Pal 
Balaji Subramanian 
Palak Dogra