Biden`s US immigration reform bill to be unveiled on Thursday

The White House sent a memo to immigration officials earlier this week urging them to stop using the term "illegal alien" in their communications, arguing that the term, which has been part of the US code for decades, is offensive to illegal immigrants.

Certain elements have already been floated in Congress and the Biden administration has signaled a willingness to break up their reform effort into parts.

Diversity visas, provided to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the USA, would be increased from 50,000 per year to 85,000, according to an administration official.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, people who qualify for Temporary Protected Status from countries suffering from war and natural disasters, and farm workers who can prove they have a work history essentially get bumped to the front of the "green card" line provided they pass background checks and meet other requirements.

The legislation followed through on President Biden's announcement on 20 January, his first day in office, to overhaul US policies toward undocumented immigrants as well as people arriving at the US-Mexico border seeking to enter for work or as refugees.

The bill would expand transnational anti-drug task forces in Central America and enhances technology at the border.

The plan includes $4 billion spread over four years to try to boost economic development and tackle corruption in Latin American countries, to try to address some of the root causes of migration to the U.S. This move has been applauded by immigrant advocates who see the use of the word as derogatory and dehumanizing.

Undocumented immigrants would also no longer face a three to 10-year ban from the United States for leaving and attempting to reenter the country.

- The annual per-country limits on many forms of legal immigration would be raised and family reunifications would speed up for green card holders.

A senior administration official acknowledged that was intentional.

Separately, the number of diversity visas issued for countries with low rates of immigration to the USA will increase from 55,000 to 80,000.

The White House said Wednesday it remains in "close contact" with states hard hit by the winter weather and frigid temperatures that have knocked out power to millions.

Two Democratic legislators, California Congresswoman Linda Sanchez and New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, will present the initiative in the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively. "They all need to be addressed". Biden had a front-row seat to former President Barack Obama's failure to deliver lasting change to the immigration system. Soon after taking office, Biden also imposed a 100-day moratorium on deportations, although that order was suspended by a U.S. judge.

Comprehensive immigration reform has struggled to gain traction in Congress for decades.