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up front Monday 19 august 2024
Immigrants prepare for new Biden protections with excitement and concern

terview at a U.S. Consulate
Continued from Front in Colombia.
She has been waiting for
Now, a Biden administration that appointment for more
program launching Mon- than two years. Now, she
day will allow some spouses has a chance to avoid the
of U.S. citizens without legal risky trip out of the U.S.
permission to stay in the U.S. Immigrants who, unlike
to legalize their status with- Garcia and Zambrano, are
out leaving the country. not already on the gov-
That is giving Garcia, and ernment's radar may fear
others like him, new hope. the risk of applying, espe-
"Finally, there is a light that cially if Trump is president.
this is possible," the 37-year- His administration would
old said. "I imagine I will know who and where they
soon have the important are, said Charles Kuck, an
documents that so many Atlanta-based immigration
people want to have." attorney.
The new program offers a "Is there a risk associated
rare opportunity to erase with this? One hundred per-
the threat of deportation cent," Kuck said.
and one day earn citizen- This type of program should
ship. But tempering that have been rolled out a few
excitement is concern: years ago, not months be-
Who will benefit from what fore an election, Kuck said.
has been described as the He is advising clients to wait
most expansive U.S. protec- to see who wins.
tions for immigrants in over Garcia and Zambrano al-
a decade? Will the pro- ready are thinking about
gram face legal challeng- how this opportunity can
es? And most important, change their lives.
will it survive the presidential Garcia and his 44-year-old
election? wife, María, have an ap-
Under the policy Demo- Roberto Garcia and his wife Maria Garcia pause for a picture after dropping their two children off pointment with their immi-
cratic President Joe Biden for their first day of school in East Los Angeles on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. Associated Press gration attorney the day af-
announced in June, many ter the government begins
spouses without legal sta- dren. migrants — is back in the ments with clients. Those accepting applications on
tus will be able to apply for Before this program, it was White House. likely to qualify can come Monday.
something called "parole in complicated for people There has been far more back Monday to apply. María, who had an acci-
place," offering permission who were in the U.S. ille- hesitancy compared with The eligible couples are dent a year ago and can-
to stay in the U.S., apply for gally to get a green card the excitement that greet- excited, she said, "coming not work, said: "My biggest
a green card and eventu- after marrying an Ameri- ed the launch of the De- with an accordion file of fear is that he won't be able
ally get on a path to citizen- can citizen. They can be ferred Action for Childhood documents that they want to come back," if Garcia
ship. required to return to their Arrivals program, or DACA, reviewed." But, she said, her travels to Ciudad Juarez.
To be eligible, they must home country — often for which protected people group is discovering that a As the family's sole bread-
have been continuously in years — and they always brought to the country as majority of people it sees winner and the one who
the U.S. for at least 10 years, face the risk they may not children from deportation, will not qualify. One of the does things like take the
not pose a security threat or be allowed back in. said Karla Aguayo, director biggest reasons: Many re- kids to school, Garcia said
have a disqualifying crimi- News of Biden's program set of legal services at CHIR- turned to their home coun- he cannot take that risk
nal history, and have been off a flurry of activity nation- LA, the Los Angeles-based try at some point — often even if he were to finally
married to a citizen by June wide as couples checked Coalition for Humane Immi- for big life events like a dy- get an appointment.
17 — the day before the whether they were eligible. grant Rights. ing family member — and As for Zambrano, she will
program was announced. Immigrant groups have When DACA was an- reentry makes them ineligi- be able to travel home to
They must pay a $580 fee to reached out to help people nounced in 2012, she said ble. visit her parents and broth-
apply and fill out a lengthy understand the program thousands of people lined For María Zambrano, the ers. She can get a driver's
application, including an and battle misinformation. up outside the organiza- possibility that Trump wins license, health insurance,
explanation of why they Some launched radio ads. tion's office. For the new the presidential election a house and maybe even
deserve humanitarian pa- "There's definitely a lot of program, it has just been a and ends the policy adds vote one day.
role and a long list of sup- interest but also a lot of few couples. to the urgency. Garcia, who said he has
porting documents proving concerns," said Carolina While DACA had a much "We have to react as soon paid taxes since 2010 and
how long they have been Castaneda, a staff attorney bigger applicant pool, the as possible and apply as is studying for his contrac-
in the country. with the Immigrant Legal immigrant community has soon as possible," said the tor's license, also dreams
They apply to the Depart- Resource Center in Califor- seen how these policies 56-year-old resident of Bal of what he can do with a
ment of Homeland Secu- nia's Central Valley. get caught up in the courts, Harbour, Florida. green card. On the top of
rity, and if approved, have Activists and lawyers say Aguayo said. She came to the U.S. from his mind: going to Mexico
three years to seek perma- they and applicants are "People are like, 'This is nice, Colombia in 2001 and has to see his parents and sev-
nent residency. During that weighing whether it is a risk but how long will it last?'" not gone back. She works en brothers for the first time
period, they can get work to apply, if the program will she said. as a Spanish language tu- in 15 years.
authorization. survive possible Republican The organization has post- tor and has her own com- "It's been many years of not
The administration esti- lawsuits and what hap- ed information about the pany. Seven years ago, she seeing them, not talking to
mates about 500,000 peo- pens if Republican Donald new program online and married a U.S. citizen, and them face to face," Garcia
ple could be eligible, plus Trump — who has vowed held information sessions like Garcia, applied for le- said. "I try not to think about
about 50,000 of their chil- to deport millions of im- and one-on-one appoint- gal status but still has to in- it."q