Harris announced that the administration plans to create "greater efficiencies" to streamline the naturalization process, including decreasing the amount of time required to acquire U.S. citizenship from 13 years to eight years, offering certain members of the Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programs automatic green cards and adding immigration judges to help eliminate backlogs on court hearings.
"We believe it is smarter and a more humane way of approaching immigration for immigrants," Harris said.
The full plan will be sent to Congress on President-elect Joe Biden's first day in office.
WATCH: SPEAKER JOHNSON CALLS ON COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TO RESIGN
The announcement comes as a migrant caravan from Honduras is heading to the United States, with one member citing Biden’s pledge to place a 100-day moratorium on deportations – one of several items on his agenda that will reverse some of President Donald Trump’s signature policies.
WATCH GREAT ANALYSIS: THE ABSURDITY OF ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS
The migrant told the Hill news outlet that he was fleeing a "bad situation" that was made worse by the coronavirus pandemic, hurricanes, and a president who is not helping the people.
When asked what he wishes for "his people," the migrant replied it was "to get to the U.S. because they’re having a new president."
A CRYING SHAME: PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS FORCE USC TO CANCEL PRIMARY GRADUATION EVENT
"He’s gonna help all of us," the migrant spoke of Biden. "He’s giving us 100 days to get to the U.S." to get legal status and "get a better life for our kids and family."
But any migrants who arrive at the U.S. border within the first 100 days of the new Biden administration will likely be disappointed. On Sunday, an unnamed Biden transition official said the migrants hoping to claim asylum in the U.S. during the first few weeks of the administration "need to understand they’re not going to be able to come into the U.S. immediately," NBC News reported.
AMERICA'S BIRTHRATE CONTINUES TO PLUMMET - ARE MILLENNIALS TRADING DIAPERS FOR DEGREES?
The Biden transition official told NBC News that while "there’s help on the way," now "is not the time to make the journey."
ARE THERE MORE? 'GILGO BEACH' MURDERS CASE EXPANDS WITH NEW SEARCH
Former acting ICE director Thomas Homan told Fox News that by "throwing all those promises out, to cater to the left to win an election, [Biden] put his own political ambitions ahead of the country."
When asked about the Biden transition official telling migrants that now is not the best time to come to the U.S., Homan answered: "Too little, too late."
HARVEY WEINSTEIN'S CONVICTION OVERTURNED IN NEW YORK! WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE DISGRACED MOVIE MOGUL?
"They’re already on their way. They’re not going to wait in Mexico. They’re going to try to come across the border," Homan said.
Biden's chief of staff, Ron Klain said in a publicly released memo over the weekend that the president-elect will sign an executive order on immigration reform within the first 10 days of taking office, which will "restore dignity to our immigration system and our border policies, and start the difficult but critical work of reuniting families separated at the border."
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
