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FIIDS urges Biden to give immigration relief to children and spouses of backlogged green card applicants
The organization has also started a petition to extend immigration relief to these families.
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Representative Image. / Unsplash
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) on June.19 urged the Joe Biden administration to include documented dreamers (children of long-term visa holders) and spouses of backlogged green card applicants in his new immigration policy.
FIIDS USA highlighted that Biden’s new immigration policy excludes hundreds of thousands of spouses of legal, tax-paying, contributing immigrants who are stuck in long green card waitlists due to the 7 percent country-wise quota.
“Their US-educated children are becoming out of status at 21,” FIIDS said in a statement. “They too have dreams; they are dreamers too. Just because they are legal, they shouldn’t be excluded from such measures.”
The Indian-American organization urged President Biden to extend support to spouses of documented immigrants on H-1B visas who are facing green card backlogs for more than 10 years. They advocated for these spouses to receive work permits (EAD) independently and be allowed to apply for a separate green card, independent of their spouse's employment-based green card status.
Additionally, FIIDS requested that children of these backlogged green card applicants be granted immediate EAD based on their education qualifications. These measures, FIIDS argued, would help keep families together and enable them to contribute fully to the US economy.
FIIDS also started a petition in this regard.
Support Change Petition to @POTUS Pres. Biden: Request to Extend EAD/GC Immigration Relief to Documented Dreamers Stuck in GC Backlog - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/CVMcmFvQEy via @Change #gcbacklog #h1b #immigration pic.twitter.com/H6WNy6z1qp
— FIIDSUSA (@FIIDSUSA) June 22, 2024
President Biden's newly announced policy permits non-citizens who have resided in the country for a minimum of 10 years and are married to a US citizen, along with their children, to seek permanent residency without needing to depart the US.
FIIDS thanked Biden for this policy.
“President Biden announced that undocumented spouses of US citizens residing in the US for 10 or more years can apply for expedited citizenship,” it said. “Additionally, undocumented children with college education will be eligible for immediate work visas and future legal residency. We recognize President Biden’s commitment to keeping American families together and his intentions to promote family unity and strengthen the economy.”
Despite Biden extending relief to the eligible parties, spouses and children of backlogged green card applicants aren’t included in the newly announced legality of status. These individuals continue to be plagued by excessive green card backlog.
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