President Obama issues Immigration protection against deportation to some undocumented immigrants
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
United States President Barack Obama announced an Immigration plan through Executive Order that will grant almost five million undocumented immigrants protection from deportation and a work permit at a White House speech on Thursday, November 20, 2014, in Washington, D.C.
President Obama’s immigration plan will grant a work permit and protection against deportation to parents of children who are legally in the U.S. if they pass background checks, pay taxes, and have lived in the U.S. for more than five years.
According to a White House statement, “individuals will have the opportunity to request temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for three years at a time if they come forward and register, submit biometric data, pass background checks, pay fees, and show that their child was born before the date of this announcement.”
President Obama stated that his Immigration plan will not grant citizenship as only Congress can pass legislation authorizing citizenship. Obama challenged the Republican-majority Congress to pass an Immigration Bill.
In addition, the previously issued White House plan for undocumented children in the U.S. called the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will be expanded. Originally issued in 2012 by President Obama, DACA initially granted protection from deportation and a work permit to undocumented children who lived in the U.S. continuously since 2007, must have arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16 years old, and have been 30 years or younger before June 2012. DACA children received a two year permit protecting them from deportation and work permit.
DACA will be expanded to include undocumented children who arrived in the U.S. before January 2010 and will receive a three year permit providing protection from deportation and work permit if they register.
Obama’s new Immigration plan also will provide work authorization permits for high-tech workers waiting for legal permanent residence status in the U.S.
Obama also announced greater border security measures will be implemented while abolishing the Secure Communities program previously used nationally to identify undocumented immigrants who were stopped or arrested by law enforcement authorities and charged for deportation proceedings. Obama noted that more undocumented immigrants have been deported than before and illegal immigration has been significantly reduced.
Republican federal and state leaders quickly criticized President Obama for taking Executive action in issuing this Immigration plan, threatening to sue, shutdown the federal government, and initiate impeachment against President Obama.
Texas Governor Rick Perry stated that the State of Texas would sue to stop President Obama’s Immigration plan from becoming policy. Texas Governor-elect Greg Abbott stated that he will take legal action as Governor to stop President Obama’s Immigration plan. Texas’ U.S. Senator John Cornyn stated he opposes Obama’s Immigration plan because it will lead to a larger surge of illegal immigrants coming to the U.S.
Democratic Party leaders support President Obama’s Immigration plan citing that the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives have had the U.S. Senate-approved Comprehensive Immigration Bill for their approval since June 2013 and have failed to take action on it, creating an immigration crisis in the U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar of Laredo, Texas stated Republicans have had the opportunity to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform but have not acted upon it. Cuellar noted President Obama warned the Republican-led Congress that if they did not approve a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, then he would have no choice but to take action himself.
President Obama noted in his speech that he has legal authority to take Executive action on this Immigration plan and that both Republican and Democrat past U.S. Presidents have taken Executive action to expand Immigration benefits to undocumented immigrants.
Democrat Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Chicago, Illinois stated that the Republicans are against all programs proposed or initiated by President Obama since the day he took office and obstructing comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S.
