President Biden has the power to keep families together. It’s time for him to use it

I’m a third-generation Nevadan, I’m the granddaughter of an immigrant, and I recently won reelection in one of the most prominent swing states in America. I know how important the immigrant population is to my state and to our country.

This spring, my Republican colleagues in Congress refused to move forward on common sense, bipartisan legislation to invest in border security, hire more Border Patrol agents, combat drug trafficking, and reform our broken asylum system. In the face of this gridlock, President Biden has taken decisive action to address the crisis on the border. Now it's time for him to use his power to deliver for immigrant families.

Right now, nearly 136,000 U.S. citizens in Nevada alone live with at least one family member who is undocumented. Many of these family members have lived here for decades and consider this country their only home. I’m talking about spouses and parents of American citizens and Dreamers who were brought to this country as children. These are our neighbors and friends. But, they aren’t able to legally work and fulfill their potential, and they are living in constant fear that their families will be torn apart because of our broken immigration system.

Our current immigration laws include so many hurdles that can keep families in limbo, and even being married to a U.S. citizen isn’t always enough to allow someone to get a green card. That’s what happened to one of my constituents, a U.S. citizen in Nevada who asked to be identified by the name Elena to protect her identity.

Elena was married to an undocumented immigrant, and together they had two children and purchased their own home. Elena’s husband had tried to adjust his status through his wife but he wasn’t able to because he is subject to what’s known as a permanent bar. When Elena’s job required her to submit a background check that included her husband’s social security number, she faced a terrible choice. As an undocumented immigrant, Elena’s husband didn’t have a social security number. Elena had to make the heartbreaking decision to either lose her source of income or divorce her husband. She chose to divorce the love of her life. This had a harrowing effect on Elena and her two children.

Unfortunately, Elena’s story is not unique. Hundreds of thousands of hardworking families in our country face this uncertainty every day. Long-term undocumented residents, many of whom are married to U.S. citizens, deserve relief. They should be able to remain here and their American families should be able to rely on them for income and support. These families shouldn’t have to worry that a loved one could be forced to leave the U.S. That’s why I have urged President Biden to act to keep families together.

To show these families he stands with them, President Biden should take executive action to protect spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation and grant them work permits so they can provide for their families; allow family caregivers to stay in the United States legally if they’ve lived in this country for many years and are essential to caring for a sick spouse or child who is an American citizen; and strengthen protections for Dreamers and other long-term residents who have earned college and advanced degrees so they can keep contributing to our workforce.

These are critical steps that would help our economy, support businesses across the U.S., and allow hundreds of thousands of people who call this country home to breathe easier. President Biden can provide relief for these families now. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s the smart thing to do.

The road to the White House runs through Nevada, and people in my state are paying attention. We know that our immigrant community makes us stronger and that we can make our border more secure while we fix our broken immigration system.

Protecting long-term undocumented residents who are contributing to our communities and our workforce is widely popular among Democrats, Republicans, and independents in swing states. It would show Nevada’s significant immigrant community that even with a Congress where Republicans are refusing to take action, the Biden administration cares about the people who have lived here, worked here, and contributed to our communities for years. I know President Biden has always stood with hardworking families like Elena’s, and this is an opportunity for him to deliver a win for thousands of immigrants and for our economy.

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