A program unveiled by President Joe Biden for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens is set to open up in August.
The White House announced the process in June after months of calls from advocates.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates roughly 500,000 people could be eligible for the program — which allows undocumented spouses who have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years to apply for legal status and even a pathway to citizenship.
Under the new policy, spouses can apply for a temporary status called parole-in-place. If approved, they’d be able to later apply for permanent residency and potentially, U.S. citizenship.
The Department of Homeland Security says Citizenship and Immigration Services will open up applications on Aug. 19 and begin assessing them after that. The agency says applications submitted before that date will be rejected.
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DHS is now planning something more modest, starting out with 250 people per week and capping occupied beds at 542, according to Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor. -
A spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, said that Kelly had called DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding Annie Ramos’ detention. Her husband has family in Arizona. -
GOP lawmakers are asking the attorney general to punish Pima County over a resolution banning ICE activity on county property without judicial warrants. -
Last summer, the Trump administration designated more than a third of Arizona’s roughly 370-mile-long border with Mexico a military zone. -
In a 7-2 majority decision from 1884, the nine justices ruled John Elk, a Winnebago living in Omaha who tried registering to vote, was not a U.S. citizen in spite of the 14th Amendment codifying birthright citizenship.
