The U.S. announced when it will start offering a path to citizenship to undocumented migrants married to U.S. citizens

The Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that August 19 will be the date when it will start accepting applications for the program granting a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have been married to U.S. citizens for at least a decade.

The country's Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it's currently not accepting applications under the process and that those who submit them will have them rejected. It added that the DHS is still establishing the process to consider the requests and that will do so on a case-by-case basis.

Under the policy, some 500,000 undocumented spouses will be shielded from deportation and given a pathway to citizenship, as well as the ability to work legally in the United States.

Marrying an American citizen generally provides a pathway to U.S. citizenship. But people who crossed the border illegally— rather than arriving in the country with a visa— at the moment must return to their home countries to complete the process for a green card.

That often means long separations from spouses and families. The new program, however, will allow families to remain in the country while they pursue legal status.

Advocates, beneficiaries, Democratic politicians and the Mexican government celebrated the policy when announced.

"We applaud President Biden and the Biden-Harris administration for doing what Congress has been unable or unwilling to do: act to provide common sense and compassionate immigration relief," UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguia said in a statement

The López Obrador government, on its end, highlighted that the measures will facilitate the process of applying for residency in the country for foreign spouses of U.S. citizens and will more efficiently integrate young beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program into the economy.

"Mexico has repeatedly stated that one of its top priorities in the bilateral relationship is the protection and regularization of our nationals in the United States," says a document released by the country's foreign ministry.

"In this regard, we recognize the measures announced as positive, with the certainty that strengthening our relationship under a policy of good neighborliness, respecting the sovereignty of our peoples and promoting economic cooperation is the right way to ensure safe, orderly, regular and humane migration," the statement adds.