SEATTLE — President Joe Biden is calling for an eight-year path to citizenship that could impact 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. That path would involve passing background checks, paying taxes and meeting other requirements.
Immigration advocates say it could directly benefit 250,000 people in Washington state.
"A lot of the issues that I saw in the Biden platform for comprehensive immigration reform, specifically mentioned farmworkers," said Rosalinda Guillen, an advocate for justice for farmworkers and the Executive Director of Community to Community Development in Bellingham.
Guillen says Washington's economy still largely relies on agriculture.
"Farmworkers are key to the local economies, and it's been a struggle for us to have equity," Guillen said.
She hopes Biden's proposed immigration plan will change that, and so does Cuc Vu, Director of the Seattle Office for Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
Vu says that move to defend Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals could directly impact 17,000 DACA recipients in Washington State.
"He wants to restore DACA," Vu said.
Vu hopes the president will be successful in changing immigration law, but recognized there are still challenges.
"I'm incredibly hopeful and encouraged. I do think that he'll have some success. The question is, how much can he really do given that there's a 50/50 split in the Senate?"
Not everyone is in favor of Biden's proposals.
Congressman Ken Buck of Colorado posted his critiicism on Twitter, claiming the president will halt progress "made to combat illegal entry" and "will leave us vulnerable to criminals."
Vu said that Buck's words do not reflect most people in the U.S.
"I think we need to be clear those are a vocal minority," Vu said.
Guillen responded by saying, "I would say stop the fear-mongering. Stop labeling us criminals."
Guillen says now is the time for the changes Biden is calling for, like halting work on the border wall and an end to the so-called "Muslim travel ban" that went into effect in 2017.
"We're not fooled into thinking that Joe Biden is going to be able to do this alone. We're ready to help. We're ready to engage," Guillen said.