The post-pandemic years were a confusing time in immigration politics. Border crossings increased in 2020 after an early pandemic-era relaxation. The increase coincided with the first year of a new Democratic president, who sought to be more welcoming to immigrants after campaigning against Donald Trump’s austerity. And somewhere along the way, public opinion about immigration, both legitimate and not, began to sour.
That’s the context behind President Joe Biden’s shift to center this spring and summer, especially as he announced new restrictions that make life more difficult for asylum seekers.
But now, Biden seems to be swinging in the opposite direction: Outline a plan Providing legal protection to undocumented wives of American citizens – a win for immigrants, and the political left.
The plan responds to long-standing demands by pro-immigrant activists, easing some of the progressive and left-wing criticism he and other Democrats have drawn for the rightward pivot on immigration. felt As they have to take.
The move is both a balancing act of politics and a test for policy: There is a limited, humane reform that could unite progressive and moderate Democrats, garner support from a wavering public, and provide political cover for Biden if he Will immigration centers move more broadly?
The new policy seeks to appease Biden’s liberal and progressive critics
Using something called a “parole-in-place” program, the new policy would allow noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of American citizens to apply for permanent residency and work permits (known as green cards). As my colleague Nicole Naria explained, the policy would allow these applicants to remain in the United States during that time, rather than having to leave the country for 10 years under existing rules. Permanent residency would then offer a path to citizenship. The plan would affect nearly half a million immigrants living in the United States without legal status.
This is true even when one looks at some of the fine print of the plan.
For example, the spouse must have lived in the U.S. for at least a decade and been married to a U.S. citizen until June 17 before the declaration. They must not “pose a threat to public safety.”
The announcement was timed to align with a White House commemoration of the launch of President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative 12 years ago. DACA, a directive and program that extends protections from deportation to young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, has faced more than a decade of Supreme Court challenges and lawsuits but has so far survived — though activist groups have long sought to codify those protections into law.
Those efforts have lost steam since the start of the Trump and Biden eras, but many of these groups hailed the policy announcement as a much-needed victory for the public and a shift to the right of both political parties.
“We recognize this moment as a victory for our movement, a step in the right direction for President Biden, and a commitment to continue fighting for the day where all people have dignity and the freedom to live and thrive,” said Gresa Martinez Rosas, executive of the pro-immigrant United We Dream. director, said in a statement released with praise from an array of other national and local activist groups.
Similarly, many congressional Democrats have criticized Biden’s recent moves to curtail the right to political asylum and more forcefully enforce border controls. even more praise President.
It’s also an example of how Biden is performing a delicate balancing act
The announcement is also a reflection of the times we live in: Immigration politics has become deeply toxic for Democrats. Since Biden’s presidency began, Republicans have seized the issue, voters have called for more moderate policies in battleground districts and border communities, and general attitudes toward immigration have become far more negative.
Biden was responding to that political reality when he made the announcement Reform of the asylum system In June, it empowered border officials to stop processing asylum requests when the number of daily border crossings reached 2,500.
Those realities likely drove his decision to trade off with congressional Republicans on an immigration and border bill this winter, giving him the power to ramp up and close the southern border.
The bill, in particular, went nowhere after Trump intervened against supporting House Republicans. Trump wanted to deny Biden a legislative victory and — in a demonstration of how the politics of the issue divides Democrats and unites Republicans — put the issue in play during the 2024 election.
The public is also grumbling. a lot Issue polling Independents and a variety of moderate voters are still concerned about immigration levels. Many voters trust Trump over Biden on immigration, or are changing that way, including Latino voters. And becoming more open to voters Strict immigration policySuch as building a border wall, limiting asylum, or hiring the National Guard to round up undocumented immigrants who pose a public safety risk.
Biden’s policy announcement responds to this dynamic: He may continue to enforce stricter asylum rules and be more aggressive about the southern border, responding to public demands that the country and its leaders want more restrictions on immigration.
It also responds to the demands of parts of his base — progressives, the more left-leaning members of his party in the House and Senate — and gives influential activist groups and organizers something substantial to pitch to progressive-minded voters.
And the mix of policy announcements reflects the diverse views of many Americans on immigration policy, such as being generally more open to immigrants who have lived here for some time and still positive about immigrants as individuals, while still believing that undocumented immigrants are a threat to public safety and public order. Being alert to threats, or their impact on the economy (which, to be sure, is usually positive).
But the combination of moves appears to be aimed at rallying support within his party, assuaging the concerns of voters wary of immigration and stumping Republicans. At the same time, there’s also a chance that these policy announcements could have the opposite effect: moderates, independents, and swing voters see it as yet another soft-on-the-borders policy from a president to his left, and while progressives and left-wing voters Still see his other border policies as too cruel.
