WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The Biden administration announced a new policy Tuesday that would protect about half a million immigrants in the country illegally from deportation.

Senior White House officials say the executive action, being dubbed “Parole in Place,” would give some immigrant spouses of American citizens a path to citizenship while staying in the country.

This marks one of the biggest immigration relief programs in years, with President Joe Biden’s team officially announcing plans for the program that would offer a pathway to legal status and protection from deportation to immigrants who have been in America for at least 10 years and who are married to U.S. citizens.

The plan would also allow a pathway for stepchildren of those U.S. citizens in the country illegally and under 21 years old.

‘Parole in Place’ eligibility

The Department of Homeland Security estimates half a million noncitizen spouses and around 50,000 children will be eligible for the program.

The Biden administration says most of the people impacted will be from Mexico.

Aside from needing to be legally married to a U.S. citizen and in the country for at least 10 years, the plan says eligible immigrants also must not pose a threat to public safety. 

Under current law, spouses in the country illegally must leave the U.S. to apply for legal status based on marriage. This new plan would allow them to stay in the country as they wait. 

Biden says the plan will help keep families together.

GOP legal challenges expected

Legal challenges from opponents of the program are expected, as is criticism from some Republicans.

One senator voiced his concerns to NewsNation about how this could worsen the situation at the southern border, which has seen record numbers of migrant encounters for two consecutive years.

“Look, I very much have compassion for all these groups of people, but at the end of the day, we’re just overwhelmed with the people crossing the border every day,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said. “The system is maxed out. We’re not verifying who these people are. It’s why we have national security issues. There’s a process to go through.”

The Biden administration addressed the likely legal challenges, saying it believes the plan has strong legal footing to survive.

DACA’s 12th anniversary

The Tuesday morning announcement comes amid the 12th anniversary celebration of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which Biden will celebrate at the White House later in the day with immigrant advocacy and Latino leaders.

The president is expected to announce streamlining the process for DACA recipients and other so-called “Dreamers” to receive work visas more quickly.

To be eligible, the recipients must have earned a degree at a U.S. college and must have a job offer in the U.S. related to their degree.

Biden’s move comes weeks after the administration adopted a crackdown on asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border that angered the same groups the new measure is designed to please.

Neither measure came as a surprise: For months, immigration advocates had been dreading the border security initiative and eagerly awaiting the relief measure.

The Hill contributed to this report.