The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it’s making an effort to treat some would-be Central American immigrants as refugees, a move that came on the heels of sharp Democratic complains about its recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids against illegal immigrants.

The policy shift will “help vulnerable families and individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, offering a safe and legal alternative to the dangerous and irregular journey many are currently taking in the hands of human smugglers,” the State Department stated on Wednesday.