The White House reaffirmed on Tuesday that President Biden supports a controversial plan to create a path for citizenship for at least 11 million illegal immigrants – as the White House and Congressional Democrats must formally present a comprehensive bill of immigration this week.
“There is certainly part of the proposal that the president drafted and proposed on the first day that it is a path that has been achieved for the citizenship of 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
TOP DEM ADMITS PASSING THE BIDEN IMMIGRATION ACCOUNT A ‘HERCULEAN’ TASK AMONG GOP OPPOSITION
A path to citizenship for all illegal immigrants in the country has been an important item on the liberal wish lists, and Biden promised such a plan if elected. Estimates generally put the population of illegal immigrants at around 11 million, although others suggest it may be larger.
The proposal, drafted by the government on the day of inauguration, would include an 8-year path to citizenship for illegal immigrants – a path that includes a five-year path to a green card and a three-year path to citizenship after background check and other steps.
It would also give farmers, along with Temporary Protection Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Arrivals in Childhood (DACA), immediate green card eligibility. They would then be eligible for citizenship three years later.
“He is also someone who believes in the rights of DACA recipients to be in the country,” said Psaki of Biden, noting that the DACA executive order came when he was vice president.
THE BIDEN IMMIGRATION PROJECT WOULD PUT MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN A QUICK 8 YEARS FOR CITIZENSHIP
The bill, which also includes provisions to contain the migration flow, addressing the root causes of migration from the south of the border, as well as some border security measures, faces an uncertain path to become law – especially in the Senate, where it would be needed 10 Republican votes.
Republicans in that House criticized the bill, with Senate Republican Party leader Mitch McConnell calling it “a great general amnesty proposal that would destroy American law enforcement while creating huge new incentives for people. run here illegally at the same time “.
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Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., suggested a more limited bill that focuses on DACA recipients, proposing it with Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., And describing it as “a starting point for we find bipartisan breakthroughs providing relief for Dreamers and also fixing a broken immigration system.
Psaki told reporters that the comprehensive bill would be presented soon “but Congress will have to work on how to move forward and which components will be included here and which components can be dealt with separately”.