In the United States, a path (or pathway) to citizenship is proposed immigration reform providing a process whereby illegal immigrants can become citizens.[1]
During his 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised to support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, whereby such immigrants, if they were in good standing, could pay a fine in return for gaining the opportunity to become citizens.[2] In 2013, Obama called on Congress to include a path to citizenship in any immigration reform bill it passed.[3] The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, passed by the United States Senate on June 27, 2013, would create a 13-year path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, a path that would require them to pass several security checks before they can get a green card.[4]
Multiple polls conducted during Obama's presidency have found that a large majority of Americans support a path to citizenship, but with stronger support among Democrats than among Republicans.[5][6][7] A poll conducted in February 2017 found that 87% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans supported a path to citizenship, as did 72% of President Donald Trump's supporters.[8]