2020 Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris has put forward an immigration proposal that would use executive authority to open a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrant youth. Politico reports that “Harris would use ‘parole’ authority to allow Dreamers with U.S.-citizen spouses to apply for permanent residency and eventual citizenship. She also would issue a regulation that clarified that Dreamers were not at fault for their lack of legal status, which can be a roadblock to permanent residency.”
Harris’ proposal also outlines protection from deportation for the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and other “law-abiding immigrants with ties to their communities,” striking similar tones to the action President Obama attempted to take in 2014. But, as with that action, there’s the strong possibility that Harris’ action will also face court challenges from Republicans.
”Outside observers who consulted with the Harris campaign to assess the viability of the proposal said it reflected a unique approach to work around the problems posed by America’s notoriously complex immigration laws,” HuffPost reports, and it appears to have earned support from leading immigrant rights advocates.
“It’s brilliant and original,” said America’s Voice founder Frank Sharry. “The vast majority of Americans support a path to citizenship for Dreamers, but if Republicans continue to block it, this is the way forward. Harris deserves a lot of credit for creating a bold strategy for producing a long overdue breakthrough.”