Pres. Joe Biden sends Congress on Wednesday an Immigration Bill that proposes citizenship to over 11 million people living illegally in the country.

Pres. Joe Biden
U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to sign a series of executive orders at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office just hours after his inauguration . Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Pres. Biden sends Congress Immigration Bill

Pres. Joe Biden is sending the U.S. Congress a new immigration bill that will lead citizenship to over 11 million people living illegally in the country. He sent the bill after he was inaugurated as the 46th President in the country yesterday, Wednesday.

According to Newsmax, the proposed bill will overhaul the immigration policies set by the previous administration that limits processing immigration applications and bans some nations to get inside the country.

As the new administration enters the White House, Biden's transition team also announced that the new immigration bill will devise a new system "to responsibly manage and secure our border, keep our families and communities safe, and better manage migration across the Hemisphere."

In another report from NPR, the legislation will also try to address the main reason why people from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras leave their countries and seek asylum in the U.S. by providing $4 billion in aid.

How will the new bill helps illegal migrants?

In the proposed immigration bill, illegal immigrants in the country can apply for temporary legal status. This means that they could legally live and work in the country while processing their immigration application. Then, they could apply for a green card after five years.

The proposed legislation also made it clear that in order for an applicant to receive a green card, he or she must have a background ad criminal records check. Additionally, the applicants must also pay the taxes in the country to qualify in applying for a green card.

Meanwhile, immigrants who are already under the legal framework that protects them from deportation like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA do not need to wait for five years to apply for a green card.

The new administration is under pressure from immigration groups and activists to address the issue quickly compared to Obama's administration. Biden and his administration are expected to bring more changes in the country most especially in immigration.

Will this Immigration Bill Pass the Congress and Senate?

The Democratic Party, the party that Joe Biden represents, dominates both the U.S. Congress and Senate. This means that there is a big chance that this will pass the U.S. Congress and will have the support of the House of Senate.

Most especially since Democratic Sen Chuck Schumer is the new Senate Majority Leader.

According to The Hill, both the U.S Congress and Senate are now led by Democratic leaders.

Nancy Pelosi as the House Speaker and Chuck Schumer as the Senate Majority Leader. With this, Biden will have the full potential to pursue his immigration agenda and other plans in the country amid the pandemic.