Groups urge swift and generous implementation of executive actions to reach Biden-Harris commitment to keep 500,000 families together
Today, the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), American Families United (AFU), and Make the Road States welcomed the Biden-Harris’ Administration’s first step toward fulfilling their commitment of relief for 500,000 American mixed-status families, with their release of the “Federal Registrar Notice” to guide the implementation of the “Keep Families Together” Program and to grant work permits and legal status to undocumented spouses, step children of U.S. citizens and Dreamers.
On June 18, 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced executive actions to “protect half a million spouses of U.S. citizens” and “approximately 50,000 noncitizen children” to ensure families are together and to recognize their contributions to our economy.
“Today is a positive step forward towards generous implementation to address the number one concern of employers across America: workforce stability,” said Al Cardenas, CEO of the VITAL Health, and Co-Chairman of the American Business Immigration Coalition, representing over 1,400 CEOs and employers across the country. “The start of the Biden-Harris administration’s ‘Keep Families Together’ to keep 500,000 families together is critical. These families and businesses can’t wait any longer. They need relief now.”
“Countless American families have endured years of uncertainty, holding onto the hope that one day they could live without fear,” said Ashley DeAzevedo, President of American Families United, representing 1.1 million U.S. citizens married to undocumented spouses. “While we applaud the Administration’s actions to address the overdue concerns of American mixed-status families, we urge for the most generous implementation as possible. A limited scope means countless families will continue to be left behind and would be a cruel reminder of the decades that American families had to endure when they would see a glimmer of hope—only to have it extinguished before real change is delivered.”
“Today is an important day for immigrant rights,” said Theo Oshiro, co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York. “The ‘Keeping Families Together’ program has the promise of providing a common-sense and just path to citizenship for many immigrant community members. We urge the Biden-Harris administration to follow through on its promise to reach more than half a million immigrants with generous implementation of this crucial program. Today marks a clear opportunity for our government to hit the ground running and come through for immigrant families.”
The implementation of President Biden’s executive action comes on the heels of ABIC’s year-long “Here to Work” campaign to shine a light on impacted families, advocates, and business leaders in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Nevada, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and across the country. Lawmakers, business leaders, and impacted families rallied communities across America together in support of wildly popular and common-sense immigration solutions.