Critics say a controversial immigration program unveiled by the Obama Administration amounts to ‘back door amnesty’ for illegal immigrants, but other disagree, 1200 WOAI’s Michael Board reports.
Under the special program, illegal immigrants who are tagged for deportation could continue to live in the United States while the appeals process is underway...if they can prove that being deported would be a hardship for their children.
q1019.com
by Jim Forsyth
Monday, January 9, 2012
Immigration expert Mark Jones of Rice University tells 1200 WOAI news that this program defeats the purpose of cracking down on illegal immigration.
“This is a way for the Obama Administration to say to Latinos in the United States, particularly those who are concerned about immigration that, hey, we’re doing all we can,” he said.
It goes one step further in implementing the so called DREAM Act, which Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike have rejected, which would allow illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria, like those who were brought to the U.S. as children by their illegal immigrant parents, and those who have earned college degrees or served in the military, to jump to the front of the line.
Jones says Obama has a key message for Latinos.
“If only you would help me get rid of the Republicans in Congress, then we could really get comprehensive immigration reform.”
The measure also cuts from ten years down to, in some cases, two years the wait time for individuals who have been deported to wait before they can apply for legal entry into the U.S.
U.S. Rep Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio), who heads the powerful House Judiciary Committee, says this is simply a way to provide amnesty to ‘select’ illegal immigrants.
And it also doesn’t appear to be too difficult to convince immigration officials that your deportation would be a hardship. Of the 2300 hardship waiver applications received last year, more than 70% were approved.
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