WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — President Biden launched a new initiative to offer immigration relief to up to half a million undocumented spouses of American citizens. This move, seen as a sharp contrast to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations, aims to pave a hopeful path to citizenship for many undocumented family members who have been living in the country for at least 10 years. Additionally, the new policy extends support to around 50,000 children under 21 with an American parent.
Biden’s initiative offers major relief to the eligible parties. However, spouses and children of backlogged Green Card applicants remain excluded, continuing to face the burdens of excessive Green Card backlogs.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora (FIIDS) highlighted this exclusion in a press release addressed to President Biden. FIIDS has launched a petition and is spreading the word online, demanding that the president “include documented Dreamers and spouses of backlogged Green Card applicants in newly announced legal status and work permits.”
FIIDS, a US-based non-profit organization, engages the Indian and South Asian diaspora in strengthening international collaboration across various fields, including education, technology, and economic policy. With its headquarters in Washington, D.C., FIIDS initiated a Change.org petition titled “Pres. Biden: Extend EAD/GC Immigration Relief to Legal Dreamers Stuck in GC Backlog.”
In their official press release, FIIDS stated, “On June 18th, President Biden announced that undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens residing in the U.S. for 10 or more years can apply for expedited citizenship. Additionally, undocumented children with college education will be eligible for immediate work visas and future legal residency. We recognize President Biden’s commitment to keeping American families together and his intentions to promote family unity and strengthen the economy.
“On this important initiative, we regretfully bring to attention that this announcement missed an opportunity to include hundreds of thousands of spouses of legal, tax-paying, contributing immigrants who are stuck in long Green Card waits due to the 7% country-wise quota. Their U.S.-educated children are becoming out of status at 21. They too have dreams; they are Dreamers too. Just because they are legal, they shouldn’t be excluded from such measures.”
FIIDS further urged President Biden to extend this compassionate offer to include spouses of documented immigrants on H1B visas who are waiting for Green Cards. They requested work permits and separate Green Card applications for these spouses, along with immediate EADs for their children based on their education. This, they argued, would keep families together and enable them to contribute fully to the U.S. economy.
Their tweet responded to President Biden’s June 18 video message, where he emphasized the importance of Dreamers and announced new measures to clarify and speed up work visas.
FIIDS’s demand comes days after ‘Improve the Dream,’ a youth-led organization, spotlighted the case of India-born Roshan Taroll, who had to self-deport from the U.S. after aging out of his mother’s work visa. Taroll, who came to the U.S. on an H-4 dependent visa at ten years old, faced forced deportation and family separation after not being selected for an H-1B visa despite multiple attempts.
