Video still courtesy of Democracy Now!
On day one of his presidency, Biden announced his immigration plan titled the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. Included in this act is an eight year pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country. The proposed bill aims to end the 3 year and 10 year bar, increase diversity visas, reduce backlogs, improve immigration courts, reunite families and get to the root of the immigration crisis, especially in Central America.
However, there is a lot of skepticism surrounding the bill. Not only because it will be difficult to pass but also because people are questioning the administration’s true intentions. A pathway to citizenship is long overdue and while some will be processed immediately, others will have to wait nearly a decade to become citizens. Eight years is too long for older undocumented immigrants and for those with elders across the border/world. It is also longer than a one term presidency and could be halted or revoked with a new administration.
The proposed bill hopes to establish Designated Processing Centers in Central America, reinstate the Central American Minors program and create a Central American Family Reunification Parole Program. Though, it is hard to determine if Biden’s administration is actually doing this in an attempt to correct the atrocities committed or as another step in America’s imperialist agenda. The bill also includes more funding for border agent training and more technology to supposedly control drugs coming into the country. Biden hopes to have the Department of Labor and DHS work with labor, employer, and civil rights organizations to improve employment verification but it is possible that this could make employment opportunities even more scarce for immigrants.
While many are optimistic of Biden’s plan, many still remain skeptical. The last time there was comprehensive immigration reform was in 1986 and parties have increasingly become more divided. Democrats now control the House but the Senate is split. In order for the act to pass, all Democratic senators would have to vote yes on the bill in order for there to be a tie which Kamala Harris could then break as Vice President. Comprehensive immigration reform is long overdue and Biden’s plan is the latest opportunity for the U.S. to fix the current immigration crisis. After years of trauma, communities are eager for immigration reform but it’s natural for so many to feel like they might be tricked by more false promises and misleading programs. Biden will have to undo a lot of Trump’s xenophobic acts but he also has the responsibility to correct the mistakes of past Presidents, including Obama. While it may not heal generational wounds this system has created, it is a start in creating a future in which immigrants can live safely in this country.
