Updates: Keeping Families Together Program

Update as of August 27, 2024:

On August 26, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s new Keeping Families Together program that would give undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens a path to legal status without first needing to leave the country. According to the judge’s order, while the suspension of the program remains in place the administration can continue to receive applications but cannot approve them.

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Update as of August 20, 2024:

On August 19, the U.S. Government officially opened applications for the Keeping Families Together process, which could allow thousands of undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to gain legal status through Parole in Place (PIP).

This application process follows an executive order in June 2024 that announced the use of PIP to provide relief for approximately 550,000 undocumented immigrants across the United States and 8,000 in Oregon alone. The process will allow eligible undocumented immigrants to apply for work authorization, received protection from deportation, and provide the opportunity to pursue citizenship.

To be eligible as a non-citizen spouse of a U.S. citizen, you must:

·       Be present in the United States without admission or parole;

·       Have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2014, through the date of filing your request;

·       Have a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024;

·       Have no disqualifying criminal history and otherwise not deemed to be a threat to public safety, national security, or border security; and

·       Submit biometrics and undergo required background checks and national security and public safety vetting.

To be eligible as a non-citizen stepchild of a U.S. citizen, you must:

·       Have been under the age of 21 and unmarried on June 17, 2024;

·       Be present in the United States without admission or parole;

·       Have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2024, through the date of filing your request;

·       Have a noncitizen parent who entered into a legally valid marriage with a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024, and before your 18th birthday;

·       Have no disqualifying criminal history and otherwise not deemed to be a threat to public safety, national security, or border security; and

·       Submit biometrics and undergo required background checks and national security and public safety vetting.

To request PIP under Keeping Families Together, you must submit Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens, online with the applicable filing fee. There is no fee waiver available for Form I-131F. If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure the person helping you is authorized to give legal advice. Only an attorney admitted to practice law in the United States or accredited representative working for a Department of Justice recognized organization can give you legal advice on immigration matters.

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens live in families where one or more relatives could be at risk of deportation. The Keeping Families Together policy marks an important step toward delivering lasting protection and relief for undocumented immigrants. ICS continues to urge the U.S. Congress to provide a permanent legislative solution and pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants whose legal status remains in limbo.