Arizona activists, lawmakers react after President Biden announces protections for some immigrants

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — President Joe Biden signed on Tuesday an executive order that would shield an estimated 500,000 undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation.

The move would make it easier for some undocumented immigrants to get a green card and a path to U.S. citizenship. It’s also expected to face challenges in court almost immediately.

At a White House ceremony marking the 12-year anniversary of the DACA program, one of the programs that benefitted so-called Dreamers, President Biden signed an executive order that would shield some half a million undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation.

“For those wives or husbands and their children who have lived in America for a decade and more but are undocumented, this action will allow them to file paperwork for legal status in the United States; allowing them to work while they remain with their families in the United States,” the president said.

The executive action will give those individuals – who’ve lived in the country for at least 10 years - a pathway to citizenship, and the ability to work legally in the U.S. President Biden emphasized that his actions are just about keeping families together.

Abril Gallardo came to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 11, so she knows firsthand the challenges immigrants face.

She got excited when she heard about President Biden’s executive order that will help families stay together as they go through the long process of obtaining legal resident status.

But it’s not just Gallardo who is excited. State Rep. Lydia Hernandez (D-LD24) is one of the impacted Arizonans.

Hernandez has been married for 28 years, and her husband is not a U.S. citizen.

“You live in fear. Many times here at Capitol. I invite immigrant families I’ve lived [that have lived] exact same. There’s a police officer behind me leaving work. I look twice and I’m thinking I have everything in place. It’s still that trauma,” Hernandez said.

After learning about the new immigration plan, Rosa Sanchez no longer fears she’ll be separated from her husband Everk.

“I cried all morning. It’s been amazing. It’s been a dream come true,” said Rosa. “It just made me feel safe. It made me feel very hopeful that now we’re going to be a normal family.”

Rosa and Everk have been happily married for eight years and have five children together in Phoenix. However, unlike Everk, Rosa is not an American Citizen.

“Everybody probably thinks you marry a U.S. citizen and it will be a quick fix,” said Everk.

Despite being a DACA recipient and living in the U.S. since she was a kid, Rosa’s application for a green card was denied. Everk said they appealed but were denied again.

“I was depressed for two weeks. I didn’t even want to tell my family what happened. We went through a big process of sadness, anger,” said Rosa.

Rosa is hopeful that she no longer has to live in the shadows after learning she is eligible to apply for her permanent residency under the new policy and avoid having to leave her family while she goes through the process.

“A lot of people are going to keep their families together. They won’t be separated,” said Rosa.

Rosa and Everk said they’d traveled to the nation’s capital to talk with senators and representatives from different states and help other mixed-status families. They say their work is still not done and will continue to push for more immigration policies that support more undocumented families.

Many believe Biden’s executive order was made specifically to appeal to Hispanic communities in swing states like Arizona, Nevada and Georgia.

Political consultant Stan Barnes agrees. He says this is what you expect to see during an election year.

“There is no doubt this is a campaign move; political move and I am not judging that as negative or positive. This is what politicians do. there is no doubt that is what it is,” Barnes said.

Anna Tovar, a Democrat on the Arizona Corporation Commission, disagrees.

“I don’t believe it has to do with the election that is coming up. This is something he’s been working on for many decades, and ultimately as he took presidency, this is something that he’s been committed to,” she said.

The Biden Administration points out that noncitizens who pose a threat to national security or public safety will not be eligible for this process.

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