Biden says he'll push 'pathway to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented people' in first 100 days

close

Video

Incoming Biden administration signals shift in Iran foreign policy

Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen. Jack Keane tells 'America's Newsroom' there will be an opportunity for President-elect Biden to renegotiate a nuclear deal with Iran.

President-elect Joe Biden has committed to forging "a pathway to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented people in America" in the first 100 days of his administration. 

In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News' Lester Holt, Biden said he would work to push an immigration bill through the Senate right at the onset of his presidency, but he is sure to face a steep uphill battle. 

BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTERS DEMAND LA MAYOR BE EXCLUDED FROM BIDEN CABINET: REPORTS

The Republican stronghold in the Senate hangs in the balance, with two Georgia runoffs still in play that will determine the majority party come January. 

"Some of it’s gonna depend on the kinda cooperation I can or cannot get from the United States Congress," Biden acknowledged. 

On Tuesday Biden announced he intends to nominate Alejandro Mayorkas – a former Department of Homeland Security official under President Barack Obama – as secretary of the DHS.

The move could foreshadow Biden's intent to slash President Trump's immigration restrictions and ensure that protections under Obama policies such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are reinforced. 

GEORGIA SEC. OF STATE SAYS TRUMP THREW HIM 'UNDER THE BUS'

On the campaign trail, Biden pledged to end the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) that keep migrants in Mexico as their hearings play out. Known as the “Remain-in-Mexico” policy, opponents have claimed it puts migrants in danger, but Trump officials say it has been key in ending “catch-and-release” by which migrants were released into the U.S. instead.

Trump has seized on the point in recent weeks, claiming that an end to the program would create a surge in illegal border crossings. 

Biden also said he would spend the critical first three months of his presidency rolling back Trump's executive orders related to the environment, among other things. 

He also said he would prioritize "immediate assistance" to state and local governments "to keep them from basically going under," as they continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. 

Biden said he would not be using the Justice Department to go after Trump for purported crimes, and instead said he is entirely focused on tackling the COVID-19 crisis instead. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

"What I’m focused on getting the American public back at a place where they have some certainty, some surety, some knowledge that they can make it. The middle-class and working-class people are being crushed. That’s my focus," Biden said.