National Network IRR on the change in Immigration Policy

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We Welcome Promise to Stop theDeportation of (Some) Young ImmigrantsSafety and Security for AllImmigrants Still a DreamWe welcome President Obama’s decisionto stop the deportations of over a million immigrant youth who may be eligibleunder terms described today. We hope this will be a first step towards endingthe punishment of all undocumented immigrants and the separation of families.We congratulate the tens of thousandsof youths, their families, friends and allies who have fought for over a decadefor relief from deportation, initially through the proposal of the “DREAM Act”and more recently with calls for an executive order by President Obama. Withouta doubt, the very visible actions of undocumented youth and students in recentyears “coming out” as undocumented, and leading nationwide actions andmobilizations, has been critical to this evolution of policy. Only yesterday,the TIME magazine cover story focused on young undocumentedimmigrants: “We are Americans – Just not legally.”Not lost is the fact that Obama’sannouncement comes as news polls are showing that Latino voters may not be aseager to cast their vote for him this November as they overwhelmingly did in2008. The news also comes as we await the U.S. Supreme Court ruling onArizona’s SB1070 -- a ruling expected to further bolster state-level policingand racial profiling of immigrants.
To be clear, this is notlegalization. This policy will provide temporary relief from deportation forhundreds of thousands of young immigrants. Sadly, many will miss thisopportunity; younger siblings and parents can still be deported. This will notend the record-level deportations – over 400,000 people a year — by the ObamaAdministration. The president even reaffirmed his commitment to immigrationenforcement, including having “more boots on the ground” at the U.S.-Mexicoborder than any other administration. Numerous enforcement initiatives continueto identify, detain and deport as many undocumented immigrants as possible.While the Administration repeats that it is only seeking out the “mostdangerous criminal” immigrants, we know that people who are caught drivingwithout a driver’s license are being deported, as is an immigrant parent whohas re-crossed the border in order to reunite with children here in the U.S.Last August the Administration hadannounced in another enforcement reform that it would use "prosecutorialdiscretion" to provide an opportunity for "low priority"immigrants with deportation orders to have their cases reviewed anddeportations deferred. Since then, less than two percent of the reviewed caseshave been closed, and community members continue to be detained and deported,raising concern about the promise of today's announcement and the actualimplementation. Under this process, youngundocumented immigrants must apply for eligibility, including submission offingerprints. The deferred action from deportation, which will be considered ona case-by-case basis, lasts for two years, when it will expire and a renewalrequest may be made. Those granted the deferral may apply for workauthorization, to be granted “based on economic necessity for employment.”Given the punitive enforcement environment, there will certainly bewell-founded fears about coming forward to request deferred action, and therewill be a need for widespread community education about this policy. It willalso require vigilant monitoring as it goes into effect to ensure that it isdone fairly.The announcement is sure to draw firefrom the Right. Congressional Republicans have held up passage of the DREAM Actfor years, and even during Obama’s Rose Garden statement, a heckler in theaudience was shouting about these immigrants taking jobs away from Americans.According to the Department ofHomeland Security fact sheet, in order to be eligible for deferred action fromdeportation, individuals must:•               Have come to the U.S. before the age of 16;•               Have resided continuously in the U.S. prior to June 15 and bepresent in the U.S. on this date;•               Currently be in school, have graduated from high school, have a GEDcertificate or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or U.S.armed forces;•               Have not been convicted of “a felony offense, a significantmisdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threatto national security or public safety;”•               Not be above the age of thirty.The serious misdemeanor offensescould include such violations as one DUI, one marijuana possession, domesticviolence or an assault charge.As significant as this developmentmay be, the need to provide formal relief from deportation — and theopportunity to legalize status — remains for over 10 million other undocumentedpeople in this country. This deferral from deportation is not legislated, andas such, can be taken away by administrative action. Immigrant workers,families, communities will not be safe and economically viable withoutlegislated immigration reforms that provide fair avenues for legal status andwhich will remove the punitive enforcement programs that continue to traumatizecommunities and separate families.
-30-To read Dept. of Homeland Security Fact Sheet on today'sannouncement, click here.
Information:Catherine Tactaquin, ctactaquin@nnirr.orgLaura Rivas, lrivas@nnirr.org
We Welcome Promise to Stop the Deportation of (Some) Young Immigrants