Biden admin moves to offer 'temporary status', benefits to illegal immigrant families

The Biden administration is set to offer temporary status and other benefits to illegal immigrant families who were separated at the border during the Trump presidency, between 2017-2021. 

The move comes as part of a settlement reached Monday for a lawsuit filed in 2018 by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of those impacted by the previous administration's policies.

Under the terms of the settlement, Reuters reports, illegal immigrants belonging to families who were separated will be given the opportunity to apply for temporary legal status and a work permit, which would be valid for three years. They will also be permitted to apply for asylum in the United States via Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The deal, which still has to be approved by a US district court judge, will also give separated families access to temporary housing support for one year, as well as some healthcare, including behavioral services.

On a policy level, the settlement will prevent the federal government from separating families at the border for a period of eight years, except in numerous situations, including exceptions for "reasons of national security, criminal warrants, medical emergencies or if a child's safety is at risk."

Biden administration officials and ACLU lawyers alike celebrated the move, with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas saying it was a step forward in "condemning the cruelty of the past."

According to the ACLU, nearly 4,000 children were separated from their families under the policy, which was in place from May to June 2018 until Trump himself signed an executive order barring the practice. As of 2023, between 500 and 1,000 children have still not reconnected with their next of kin.

As Reuters reports, the act of separating families was taking place before the policy went into effect, and afterward.

While this lawsuit applies to actions taken by Trump, the Biden administration has been slammed by the former president over its failure to secure the border. Since taking office, the current commander-in-chief has overseen the worst border crisis in American history, with millions of people crossing into the country illegally.