Biden Extends Protections for Hundreds of Thousands of Immigrants
In a major move to protect undocumented immigrants, President Biden has extended protections for hundreds of thousands of people who came to the United States as children or have temporary legal status.
Background
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created by President Obama in 2012 to protect young undocumented immigrants from deportation and provide them with work permits. The program has been under legal challenge since its inception, and the Supreme Court is set to rule on its fate this year.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a program that allows citizens of certain countries that have been affected by natural disasters or armed conflict to live and work in the United States temporarily. TPS has been granted to over 400,000 people from countries such as El Salvador, Haiti, and Honduras.
Biden's Actions
On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued a memorandum directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to preserve and fortify DACA. He also directed DHS to review TPS designations and to take steps to protect TPS recipients from deportation.
On February 18, 2021, DHS announced that it was extending DACA for two years and that it would begin accepting new applications for the program. DHS also announced that it was extending TPS for six months for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan.
Reactions
The Biden administration's actions have been praised by immigrant rights advocates. They say that these actions will provide much-needed relief to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants and their families.
Critics of the Biden administration's actions say that they are illegal and that they will only encourage more illegal immigration. They also argue that these actions will take away jobs from American citizens.
Legal Challenges
The Biden administration's actions are likely to face legal challenges. Several states have already filed lawsuits challenging the extension of DACA and TPS. It is unclear how the courts will rule on these challenges.
Conclusion
The Biden administration's actions to extend protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants are a significant development in the ongoing debate over immigration reform. It is unclear what the long-term impact of these actions will be, but they are likely to have a major impact on the lives of undocumented immigrants and their families.
Additional Information
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Biden Extends Protections For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Immigrants