Path to citizenship

In the United States, a path (or pathway) to citizenship is proposed immigration reform providing a process whereby illegal immigrants can become citizens.{{Cite web |url=http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/01_11_16/should-undocumented-immigrants-get-a-path-to-citizenship/ |title=Should Undocumented Immigrants Get a 'Path to Citizenship'? |website=The New York Times Upfront |publication-date=January 11, 2016}}

Obama administration

During his 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised to support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, whereby such immigrants, if they were in good standing, could pay a fine in return for gaining the opportunity to become citizens.{{cite web |url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/288/provide-a-path-to-citizenship-for-undocumented-imm/ |title=Provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants |publisher=Politifact |work=The Obameter |date=January 11, 2016 |accessdate=June 19, 2016 |author=Sherman, Amy}} In 2013, Obama called on Congress to include a path to citizenship in any immigration reform bill it passed.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-pushes-for-path-to-citizenship-in-immigration-bill/2013/07/16/63142a26-ee38-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html |title=Obama pushes for path to citizenship in immigration bill |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 16, 2013 |accessdate=June 19, 2016 |author=Nakamura, David}} The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, passed by the United States Senate on June 27, 2013, would create a 13-year path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, a path that would require them to pass several security checks before they can get a green card.{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/immigration-bill-2013-senate-passes-093530 |title=Senate passes immigration bill |work=Politico |date=June 27, 2013 |accessdate=October 20, 2016 |last=Kim |first=Seung Min}}

Trump administration

In 2018, president Donald Trump proposed a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants who had arrived as children in exchange for $25 billion in funds to build a border wall.{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/e4536bf8932e43ea89203a16d904c561 |first=Zeke |last=Miller |first2=Jill |last2=Colvin |first3=Alan |last3=Fram |title=Trump plan offers citizenship path to 1.8 million immigrants |website=Associated Press News |access-date=16 October 2024 |date=26 January 2018 }} The deal was not successful.{{cite web |access-date=16 October 2024 |work=The Hill |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/3651975-trump-proposed-a-dreamer-pathway-to-citizenship-democrats-said-no/ |title=Trump proposed a 'Dreamer' pathway to citizenship — Democrats said 'no' |date=20 September 2022 }}

Biden administration

Biden introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 on his first day in office. Lobbying for the bill in the United States Senate was led by Sen. Bob Menendez, who indicated gathering the necessary 10 Republican votes to overcome a Senate filibuster would be a 'herculean' challenge.{{Cite web |first=Camila |last=DeChalus |url=https://rollcall.com/2021/01/22/menendez-passing-immigration-bill-has-herculean-challenges/ |work=Roll Call |title=Menendez: Passing immigration bill has 'herculean' challenges |date=22 January 2021 |access-date=16 October 2024 }}{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-new-immigration-bill-b80ff43f84438d487f274abb93b0447d|title=Path to citizenship in new Democratic immigration bill |access-date=16 October 2024 |website=Associated Press |first=Alexandra |last=Jaffe |date=20 April 2021}}

Public opinion

Multiple polls conducted during Obama's presidency have found that a large majority of Americans support a path to citizenship, but with stronger support among Democrats than among Republicans.{{cite web | url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/184577/favor-path-citizenship-illegal-immigrants.aspx | title=In U.S., 65% Favor Path to Citizenship for Illegal Immigrants | work=Gallup | date=August 12, 2015 | accessdate=June 19, 2016 | author=Jones, Jeffrey M.}}{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/is-tough-talk-on-immigration-enough-to-earn-the-gop-vote/ | title=Poll says most Americans favor a path to citizenship | work=PBS Newshour | date=December 17, 2015 | accessdate=June 19, 2016 | author=Kellman, Laurie}}{{cite web | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/274575-poll-majority-of-republicans-support-path-to-citizenship/ | title=Poll: Majority of Republicans support path to citizenship | work=The Hill | date=March 29, 2016 | access-date=June 19, 2016 | author=Bernal, Rafael}}

A poll conducted in February 2017 found that 87% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans supported a path to citizenship, as did 72% of President Donald Trump's supporters.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article135300234.html |title=Even most Trump backers want a path to citizenship for immigrants here illegally |last=Cockerham |first=Sean |editor-link=The McClatchy Company |publication-date=February 28, 2017}}

Polling conducted in June 2024 found that 56% of Joe Biden supporters and 15% of Trump supporters supported a pathway to citizenship.{{Cite web |last=Nadeem |first=Reem |date=June 6, 2024 |title=2. Immigration attitudes and the 2024 election |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/06/06/immigration-attitudes-and-the-2024-election/ |access-date=July 22, 2024 |website=Pew Research Center |language=en-US}}

References

Category:Illegal immigration to the United States

Category:Citizenship of the United States