"Immediate relatives of illegal immigrants" who are U.S. citizens can stay in the U.S. to apply for immigration

"Immediate relatives of illegal immigrants" who are U.S. citizens can stay in the U.S. and apply for immigration San Francisco, January 2. In order to reunite U.S. citizens and illegal immigrant family members as soon as possible, Obama...

San Francisco, January 2. In order to reunite U.S. citizens and illegal immigrant family members as soon as possible, the Obama administration announced on Wednesday that tens of thousands of spouses, children or parents of U.S. citizens without legal immigration status can live with their relatives in the United States while they apply for green cards.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas said the policy could "reduce the long-term separation of U.S. citizens and their relatives."

For a long time, thousands of spouses, children or parents of U.S. citizens without legal immigration status have had to return to their home country to live in the process of applying for a green card, enduring a life of separation from their relatives in two places for months or even years.

According to current law, illegal immigrant spouses, children or parents of U.S. citizens can use the "601 exemption provision" to apply to stay in the United States and wait to adjust their status on the grounds that they will suffer extreme hardship once their family members leave the country. 20,000 people in the United States apply for exemptions every year.

San Francisco Bay Area immigration lawyer Maria Rivera said the new policy has given many Bay Area immigrants a sigh of relief. She said: "The new policy is all about avoiding the long-term separation of families. I think the government has realized the suffering that these families have experienced."

The Obama administration announced the proposal as early as early 2012. After months of public discussion, the policy will be announced in the federal register this Thursday and take effect on March 4.