Congressman Castro Applauds President Biden’s Immigration Relief for Mixed-Status Families and High-Skilled College Graduates
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement in support of new immigration relief measures announced by President Biden that will provide protections from deportation and a pathway to legal status for the undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens and also ease the visa process for foreign-born graduates of U.S. colleges and universities.
“For too long, mixed-status families have been forced to live in the shadows – worried that a traffic stop or an emergency-room visit could trigger the deportation that tears their family apart. Today’s historic announcement will make it possible for hundreds of thousands of parents to drive their kids to school, get a job that pays a living wage, and participate fully in American society. Congress must pass comprehensive immigration reform, but this is a compassionate step forward. I look forward to working with the Biden administration to help families access this relief.
“President Biden’s move to ease the visa process for recent college graduates will also make it easier for students who earned their degrees at American schools to keep their skills in our communities. Over the last several decades, our nation’s restrictive visa policies have increasingly pushed foreign-born entrepreneurs and innovators to our geopolitical competitors. Keeping talented graduates in the United States is a common-sense move to strengthen our economy and allow hard-working people to pursue their American dreams."