President Joe Biden announced new protections for immigrant families and children Tuesday. Undocumented immigrants who are married to United States citizens will be allowed to live together legally in the U.S. instead of remaining separated as they seek citizenship, a process that can take many years.
Yet this “pro-family” policy has not been met with praise by “pro-family” groups that tend to disagree with Biden on other political positions such as abortion.
A White House fact sheet spells out that spouses must meet certain requirements: They must be married to a U.S. citizen, they must have lived in the U.S. for a decade, and they cannot have a criminal record.
The policy shift, designed to go into effect later this summer, could affect some half a million spouses and 50,000 children. The move follows Biden’s efforts to limit illegal immigration despite Congress’ failure to approve bipartisan legislation.
“President Biden believes that securing the border is essential,” said the White House news release. “He also believes in expanding lawful pathways and keeping families together, and that immigrants who have been in the United States for decades, paying taxes and contributing to their communities, are part of the social fabric of our country.
The move, which Biden characterized as “pro-family,” was hailed by the Christian organization World Relief. The order was condemned by “pro-family” Christian politicians, including House speaker Mike Johnson.
“As a Christian organization that believes God has ordained marriage and the family unit, World Relief celebrates policies that keep marriages together and allow children to be raised, whenever possible, by both parents.”
“World Relief is encouraged by this new policy by the executive branch, while continuing to urge Congress to act toward broader and more durable pro-family immigration policy changes,” said a statement from the group.
“As a Christian organization that believes God has ordained marriage and the family unit, World Relief celebrates policies that keep marriages together and allow children to be raised, whenever possible, by both parents.”
Focus on the Family did not publicly comment on Biden’s Tuesday order, but on Wednesday it posted an article, “Illegal Immigrant Arrested in Murder of Maryland Mom,” its latest article on crimes by illegal immigrants.
Other conservative Christian “pro-family” groups have not yet commented on Biden’s order, but their allies have weighed in.
U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson
Mike Johnson complained Biden was granting “amnesty to thousands of illegal aliens.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert, who is embraced by Focus on the Family, called Biden’s order “unconstitutional” and said, “This madness has to end.”
Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas, who appeared in a March podcast from the Focus-affiliated Family Research Council that criticized Christian groups aiding immigrants, also condemned Biden’s move in a post on X: “I am AGAINST Joe Biden’s radical plan to give amnesty to illegal immigrants. Massive amnesty is a slap in the face to every American who is struggling right now.”
Former President Donald Trump, who has the support of Christian “pro-family” groups, restated his intent to “SHUT DOWN THE BORDER and start deporting millions of Biden’s illegal Criminals” if reelected in November.
World Relief was founded after World War II by the National Association of Evangelicals and originally was called the War Relief Commission before changing its name in the 1950s and serving the needy in 100 countries around the world. The group praised Biden’s move but continues to call for immigration reform.
“World Relief is encouraged by this new policy by the executive branch, while continuing to urge Congress to act toward broader and more durable pro-family immigration policy changes,” it said. The group is currently calling attention to World Refugee Month.
“Through World Relief’s network of immigration legal service providers, we encounter married couples on a regular basis whom we have to inform of the difficult news that the fact that an individual is married to a U.S. citizen does not necessarily mean that they can live together lawfully in the United States.
“In some cases, before the change announced today, a lawfully married couple may be required to either live apart from one another or live abroad — outside of the U.S. citizen’s homeland — for a decade or more, which sometimes means that their children grow up apart from at least one parent. I’m hopeful that this new policy will keep more families together.”
Biden’s move comes as positions on immigration seem to be hardening. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is accusing Annunciation House, Catholic Charities and other Catholic nonprofit groups serving immigrants of criminal conduct.
Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in McAllen, said rhetoric from Paxton and Rep. Gooden are politically motivated and harmful.
In February, Ed Young, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and recently retired pastor of Second Baptist Church in Houston, preached against immigrants: “We will not be able to stand under all the garbage and raff in which we’re now inviting to come into our shores, and they’re already here.”
According to the Texas Tribune, Young said Biden was promoting immigration to dilute the American electorate.