Third Way Statement on Biden Immigration Actions for Spouses and Dreamers

WASHINGTON—Third Way released the following statement from Lanae Erickson, Senior Vice President for Social Policy, Education & Politics:

“Two weeks ago, President Biden signed an executive order discouraging migrants from crossing the border illegally when our asylum system is overwhelmed. It’s one in a long list of actions the Biden Administration has taken to address the crisis at the border and restore order. Today’s announcement adds to that list.

“President Biden’s action creating orderly pathways to legal status for undocumented spouses of US citizens and streamlining work visas for Dreamers is another key step in addressing the chaos caused by our broken immigration system. The folks who will be eligible to apply for this relief have been in this country for decades, working hard, contributing to their communities, and caring for their families. It makes no sense to upend their lives and send them back to a country they barely know. This action by the White House will take unnecessary pressure off our immigration system, freeing up resources to focus on more pressing issues like processing cases in a way that’s fast, fair, and final and securing our border from cartels, gangs, and smugglers.

“We applaud President Biden for taking this smart and targeted action to provide stability and order to families who have long been parts of our community and encourage him to continue using his executive power to do all he can to restore order at the border and process new arrivals in a timely way, so that those who have a legal right to stay can get to work and those who don’t can be sent home. And we call on Congressional Republicans to stop being chicken and pass a bipartisan bill that surges the resources we desperately need to hear and decide cases, stop fentanyl trafficking, and restore order at the border.”