President Biden Sheds Light on a New Reformed Immigration System and DACA Dreamers
Words by Emily Hernandez
Cover Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
The Biden-Harris Administration Forms a Family Reunification Task Force and Issues Executive Orders on both Regional Migration and Legal Immigration.
On January 20th, the Biden-Harris administration sent Congress legislation to aid the process towards citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The administration has signed several executive orders on immigration on issues including allowing in more refugees and establishing a task force to reunite the 600 children and more than 5,000 families separated at the border under Trump’s 2018 “zero tolerance” policy. The new secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, will lead the task force.
President Biden has made clear that reversing the Trump Administration’s anti-immigration policies is a top priority. A part of his task force will work with key representatives of impacted families to find parents and children separated at the border. The task force will report regularly to the President, make recommendations to the federal agencies to reunite the families and prevent history from repeating.
In an attempt to address the root causes of the failing immigration system, President Biden sent the United States Citizenship Act to Congress. The act seeks to modernize the immigration system while managing the borders, restore Americans’ faith in the legal immigration system, and promote the integration of new Americans.
The executive order empowers the executive branch, in collaboration with the federal government, to positively promote immigrant integration and inclusion. President Biden also re-established a task force for new Americans to ensure that the legal immigration system operates efficiently. The executive order requires immigration agencies to conduct thorough reviews of recent regulations, policies, and guidance that act as roadblocks within the legal immigration system.
Another tremendous bonus in favor of upcoming new Americans is repealing President Trump’s memorandum requiring family sponsors to repay the government if relatives receive public benefits.
On February 2nd, the President’s first day in office, he also proposed an immigration bill that makes young undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, immediately eligible for green cards. In addition, he signed a memorandum directing Mayorkas to take actions aimed at "preserving and fortifying" the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The chancellor of the City University of New York, Félix V. Matos Rodriguez, openly praised Biden’s efforts in presenting a path to U.S. citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Matos Rodriguez stated,
As a University with a long and proud history of welcoming immigrants, we are especially encouraged by the administration's plan to provide an expedited path to permanent residence for students who are recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or those who have Temporary Protected Status. The CUNY system’s website is full of support for undocumented students.
This website states that,
The mission of The City University of New York remains the same: to provide a high quality, accessible education to all New Yorkers, regardless of background. The right to access an education in the United States is constitutionally assured to all, regardless of residency status or citizenship.
The CUNY system also aids undocumented students on their website. The Citizenship Now! website offers full-time locations for assistance with all immigration matters in every borough. Part-Time Locations include offering the District Offices of New City Council Members Services and all immigration matters in their list of services. Amidst all the new changes under Biden’s presidency, DACA students are given hope after a rollercoaster of emotions under the prior presidency. However, we look towards a brighter future for all undocumented citizens and students. “We hope that the Congress will now undertake the work needed to codify the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 into law," Matos Rodriguez expressed in a written statement.
City College’s Immigration Center is available on The City College’s website, which provides student resources for those who need it. Under “We Are One CCNY” there are legal and support services as well as an “undocumented students” tab with useful resources, such as financial aid and scholarships. The City College Immigration Center, under the CUNY Citizenship Now initiative, offers free immigration services to all CCNY students and their families. The services include, and are not limited to, naturalization, family-based petitions, replacement and renewal of immigration documents, consular processing, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and fee waiver requests. The website also states that, “All conversations are protected under the attorney/client privilege.”
