HOUSTON — The organization FIEL is responding now that there are new protections for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who are married to American citizens.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a new policy that will shield some undocumented spouses from deportation and provide them a pathway to citizenship. The policy only applies to those who have been living in the U.S. for more than a decade and who pass a background check.
This comes two weeks after Biden unveiled a plan to restrict the number of asylum seekers at the border.
"All these are both him trying to have his cake and eat it, too,” Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said. “In the one sense, saying he's going to shut the border down, but another sense reassuring progressive left that he's still going to be sensitive to letting people in."
The president's order is considered one of the most significant actions to protect immigrants since the Dream Act for children was enacted 12 years ago. Local immigrant rights advocates are applauding it, but are also preparing for the possibility it will be challenged in court.
"We know that this is the beginning of yet another battle that is going to be fought by those who don't want us here and who will ultimately sue these programs and we will end up back in the courts," said Cesar Espinosa, Executive Director of FIEL.
Espinosa said until then, FIEL will do everything in its power to make sure Houston-area families take advantage of the new program.