Biden's immigration plan for undocumented spouses could transform lives — and the election

PHOENIX — Rodrigo de la Rosa was only 5 years old when he crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with his father and three brothers. Growing up in South Phoenix, he had what he calls “just a regular American life” — until, as a teenager, he learned he was undocumented.

“When you turn 16 and you can’t get a regular job, that’s when you realize, ‘Oh, I’m different,’” he said.

In his mid-20s, de la Rosa married Ashley de Alba, who was born and raised in California by Mexican and Salvadoran parents. But marrying a U.S. citizen was not enough to fix his immigration status. He could apply for a green card but would need to leave the country first — and risk getting stuck in Mexico for a decade or even permanently.

That changed Monday, when the federal government began accepting applications for a sweeping new Biden administration program allowing undocumented spouses of American citizens to apply to regularize their status without leaving the U.S. The White House estimates the program applies to 500,000 immigrants across the country, as well as to an additional 50,000 of their children (the stepchildren of their American citizen spouses).

To qualify, applicants must have been married to a U.S. citizen prior to June 17, when the program was first announced; not have a disqualifying criminal history (which includes all felonies and a number of other crimes, such as domestic violence and most drug offenses); and prove they have lived continuously in the United States for at least 10 years (the government estimates the average is more than two decades).

Those whose applications are approved will be granted a form of legal relief known as “parole in place,” which protects them from deportation and allows them to apply for work