The president’s executive action will shield undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation, allow them to obtain work authorization, as well as ease their path to permanent resident status, the three sources told PBS News. The announcement will be made at a White House event marking the 12th anniversary of an Obama-era action that protected undocumented youth brought to the U.S. as children from deportation.

The executive action will also make it easier for some undocumented migrants brought to the U.S. as children, also known as “Dreamers,” to receive work visas, according to the sources briefed by the White House. Dreamers would qualify if they have earned a degree from a U.S. college or university and have received a high-skilled job offer.

  • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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    9 days ago

    The issue here is abuse. If getting married to an American means you get automatic permanent residency, then an American can use that to force obedience from a spouse.

    If you have the right to divorce at will (which is an important right), you’ll basically have the right to deport your spouse at will.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      9 days ago

      Permanent residency is permanent. That’s the point. You get a two-year “conditional” permanent residency and then it’s extremely hard to revoke that status.

      • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldOPM
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        9 days ago

        Exactly. Unless you are convicted of a serious crime or fraud, etc. your status cannot be revoked.

      • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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        9 days ago

        Yeah, but good luck getting a green card or a chance at naturalization.

        And two years is a long time to be exploited, if that’s something they have to endure.

      • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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        9 days ago

        Explain to me how you can issue permanent residency as a condition of marriage in a system that allows divorce for any reason, that doesn’t introduce the threat of marital coercion.

        You don’t think men would use conditional residency to manipulate and control immigrant women? There’s a whole cottage industry of “mail-order brides” predicated on this fantasy.

        We need to protect Dreamers, and their families, but we need to make sure we’re not creating a system that can be used to exploit people.

    • In cases of abuse, the spouse can divorce and get asylum visa status (they won’t get deported). Not sure if abuse can be proven always, but sexual and physical abuse most certainly can and qualify for protected status.