Brenda and Antonio Valle are excited but cautious of the news that President Joe Biden is taking executive action to protect undocumented spouses of American citizens.
The move that would shield about 500,000 immigrants from deportation like Brenda.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this,” said Brenda, who was brought to the U.S. by her parents 30 years ago. “To finally see it come through, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but we are very excited.”
Brenda is married to Antonio, a naturalized U.S. citizen, but she has not been able to apply for residency because it would require her to move to Mexico and start the process there. It would separate her from Antonio and their two young boys.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
“There has been a lot of anxiety and stress, nightmares sometimes of being separated,” said Antonio.
Biden’s order will allow Brenda and some undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to stay in the country as they apply for permanent residence and eventually citizenship.
The order also impacts DACA recipients like Brenda who have earned degrees in higher education and will be able to get work visas faster.
Both actions are being called the most significant immigration measures since DACA.
“It can be a very isolating thing for everybody involved,” said Candice Garcia-Sanchez, known as La Guerita on YouTube and Tiktok. She chose to move her young family to Mexico after her husband was deported.
She couldn’t imagine the separation of her boys from their dad as they worked through the system.
She said her family is not alone as there are are thousand of families just like hers, hoping one day there might be a way back home.
“They are like me. They are hopeful. They are hopeful that we will continue to see steps forward even if they are small, and that change will happen,” said Garcia-Sanchez.
