Gutierrez Pleased, Hopeful About Change In Deportation Policy
chicago.cbslocal.com
UPDATED 08/30/11 12:31 p.m.

(Audio and Video @ source link)

CHICAGO (CBS) — U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) has launched a new push to inform immigrants about new deportation rules.

As CBS 2’s Mike Puccinelli reports, Gutierrez has been leading efforts to try to get the Obama administration to soften its stance on illegal immigration.

On Tuesday at the office of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Gutierrez stopped short of declaring victory. But he did argue that the announcement this week of a change to federal deportation policies is an important first step.

WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports Gutierrez said President Obama deserves praise — and re-election — for making the change in his administration’s policies.

The policy change means that 300,000 open deportation cases will be reviewed by immigration panels that will include members of the U.S. Justice and Homeland Security departments.

“After that review from the panel, they will take the high-priority cases – that’s the drug dealers, the gangbangers, the people who cause havoc, and pain, and destruction in our community, and they’ll say, ‘Goodbye!’â€