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Statement

On Monday, Long-Settled Immigrants Married to U.S. Citizens Can Apply for Citizenship, Thanks to Biden/Harris Action to Keep Families Together

August 16, 2024
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Xochitl Oseguera, Vice President of MomsRising and MamásConPoder, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the Biden/Harris administration opening requests for Parole in Place from certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens next Monday:

“This coming Monday, August 19th, the nation will take a major step to keep families together and strengthen our communities and our economy when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security begins accepting citizenship applications from certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens who have been in the country for at least a decade. This historic and humane Parole in Place policy will help keep immigrant and mixed-status families together by allowing some undocumented immigrant spouses with deep roots in our country to get work permits and eventually apply for green cards. It is great news that they will now have a path to citizenship and protections from deportation. Information on how to apply is here.

“This is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. America’s moms have long recognized immigrants as our neighbors, friends, and colleagues who make our nation more successful. But too many live in fear of being deported and being separated from the children and spouses they love. That will now change for approximately 500,000 long-settled immigrants and 50,000 children in mixed-status families, thanks to the Biden/Harris administration’s wise, compassionate action.

“The Parole in Place program will strengthen our country’s caregiving workforce, which is an urgent priority for moms, families, businesses and our economy. Now, undocumented immigrants will be able to help fill labor gaps, including as child, elder and disability caregivers. Keeping families together and allowing more community members to contribute, work, and pay taxes will make our country stronger. President Biden and Vice President Harris are powerful champions for the care economy and the fair, balanced immigration policies that moms and working families support.”

NOTE: MomsRising will have a spokesperson available to discuss Parole in Place in English or Spanish beginning Monday, August 19.

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.