WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Biden administration has the full legal authority to provide immigration relief for long-term undocumented residents, spouses of U.S. citizens, those from countries eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Dreamers. That is why the list of those supporting affirmative relief has been growing substantially over the last few months. Mayors and governors, business and faith leaders, senators and members of Congress, directly impacted folks and their allies; all are fighting to make these protections a reality. But President Biden needs to act right away.

Click here to read FWD.us’ analysis of the tools President Biden has at his disposal to provide relief for as many as 3 million undocumented individuals without deportation protection.

This week, FWD.us is also releasing a new video as part of our FactFWD series to break down the specific affirmative relief policies we are pursuing — Parole in Place for spouses of U.S. citizens, TPS, and affirmative cancellation of removal to protect long-term undocumented residents who have contributed to American society for years, even decades, building families and paying taxes while waiting for solutions from Washington. While a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented is something only Congress can do, granting affirmative relief through these policies will help ensure that many of those with strong ties to our communities can live safely and stay together with their loved ones.

Earlier this month, Congressmembers, civil and immigrant rights leaders, and advocates held a press conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to show their growing support for President Biden to provide protections and relief for long-term undocumented individuals in 2024. Leading U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives joined advocates from FWD.us, American Families United (AFU), UnidosUS, CASA, and others to urge President Biden to heed the growing calls for urgently needed action. Watch the press conference here.

Momentum for affirmative relief isn’t just picking up inside the Capitol — it’s also building in communities across the country, including Georgia, Florida, and Texas. Last week in Atlanta, we joined with AFU families, advocates from the Latin American Association, the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Path Project to highlight the local support for protecting American families through affirmative relief. In Florida, we were joined by state Representative Anna Eskamani (D-FL-42), former state Representative Carlos G. Smith (D-FL-49), and several other immigration reform advocates to highlight the vast contributions of immigrants in Florida and nationwide while urging President Biden to pursue these policies to protect American families.

Back in D.C., our partners at the Haitian Bridge Alliance led a press conference with several members of the House of Representatives to renew calls for urgent federal action to address the growing crisis in Haiti — including through a redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Advocates from MomsRising and TPS for Ecuador National Coalition also convened an event with House members to call for a new TPS designation for Ecuadorian immigrants currently residing in the United States.

TPS is a well-established avenue for affirmative relief, and the Biden administration has successfully utilized it. We’re encouraging the White House to build on these victories by extending and expanding these protections to people from countries that already meet the statutory requirements for TPS to protect them from deportation and provide them with immediate work permits so they can support their families and contribute to the U.S. economy.

Offering these protections to unprotected individuals not only aligns with America’s values but would help keep American families together by allowing long-term residents to fully contribute to our economy. These policies are popular among voters and are well within the Administration’s executive power. Momentum continues to build, but there’s no time to waste.