Biden's new immigration program draws praise from some New Yorkers. Here's how it could impact the election.
NEW YORK -- Emotions ran high in New York City on Tuesday after President Joe Biden offered the undocumented spouses of American citizens a lifeline to legally live and work here.
Biden's program is known as "Parole in Place." It allows unauthorized immigrants to get work permits and apply to become legal citizens without having to leave the country. It's expected to affect about 500,000 people.
The announcement drew applause from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Congressman Tom Suozzi, and other representatives of states with large immigrant populations.
New York immigrants rejoice
Immigrants worried about being sent back to their home countries even though they're married to American citizens celebrated the news they won't have to leave the country to get work permits and a pathway to citizenship.
It's a move that affects many who live in the Jackson Heights, Queens community and impacts people like Marilyn Mendoza, whose husband, Jose Luis Mendoza, entered the country illegally from Mexico to find a way to support his bothers and sisters.
"It would mean we would not have to fear deportation, the separation of our family. It would mean freedom and just being able to see our child grow together," Marilyn Mendoza said.
Biden's announcement a clear shot at Donald Trump
And while the president said it was a common-sense solution to help keep families together, it also came with a passionate attack of the policies of Donald Trump.
"When he was president, he separated families and children at the border and now he is proposing to rip spouses and children from their families and homes and communities and place them in detention camps," Biden said.
As CBS New York's Marcia Kramer reported, it was clear from the president's remarks he blames former President Trump for putting the kibosh on the bipartisan agreement to solve the border crisis. However, Trump fired back, saying the announcement on Tuesday was all about politics.
Since Biden made sure to surround himself with representatives with large migrant populations, the announcement of the new program could have had something to do with the hunt for votes in battleground states. The American Immigration Coalition estimates that Nevada, Arizona and Georgia each have 100,000 voters who live in so-called "mixed status" households, which could really affect the outcome of the election.