Thread: U.S. Cites Fast Pace on Reprieves for Young Illegal Immigrants

U.S. Cites Fast Pace on Reprieves for Young Illegal Immigrants

By JULIA PRESTON

More than 82,000 illegal immigrants have applied for a two-year reprieve from deportation in the first 30 working days of an Obama administration program, and 29 have been approved, Department of Homeland Security officials said on Friday.

Officials released figures on the deportation deferrals for the second time this week to give a broader public view of what they describe as the fast pace of the program. They said 63,000 applicants had already been scheduled for appointments to have fingerprints and photographs taken for a criminal background check, the second step in the process.

About 1,600 immigrants have finished providing their biometrics, officials said, and are expected to move quickly to the final step: an officer at the federal agency in charge, Citizenship and Immigration Services, will review the applications and decide whether to grant the deferral — formally known as deferred action.

Senior Homeland Security officials said they wanted to encourage youths in the country illegally to come forward to apply for deferrals, which protect them from deportation for two years and also, in most cases, come with work permits. Officials believe that the rate of applications will accelerate once young immigrants see that others have been approved and have been issued their work documents.

Obama administration officials said the program was part of a broader effort to focus enforcement on illegal immigrants with criminal records and to avoid using resources to deport otherwise law-abiding young people who have been here since they were children.

“Our nation’s immigration laws must be enforced in a strong and sensible manner, but they are not designed to be blindly enforced,” said Peter Boogaard, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman. “These young people do not represent a risk to public safety or security.”
Republicans said the immigration agency was rushing the background checks and taking officers away from cases of foreigners who followed the steps to apply through the legal system.

“Such a quick turnaround for these amnesty applications raises serious concerns about fraud and a lack of thorough vetting,” said Representative Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas who is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “It’s appalling that the administration has diverted resources from approving applications from those who have played by the rules.”

The program does not provide any legal status, which only Congress can do through legislation.

Young immigrants said they had been surprised by the quick results. Evelyn Rivera, 24, who was born in Colombia but has been living illegally in the United States since she was 3 years old, said she applied on Aug. 16, the second day of the program. She is scheduled to give fingerprints next week.

“It’s definitely what we were hoping for, everything moving so smooth and fast,” she said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/15/us...rants.html?hpw

“Such a quick turnaround for these amnesty applications raises serious concerns about fraud and a lack of thorough vetting,” said Representative Lamar Smith, Republican of Texas. “It’s appalling that the administration has diverted resources from approving applications from those who have played by the rules.”

Got to get those indentured voters to the polls before November.

Evelyn Rivera, 24, who was born in Colombia but has been living illegally in the United States since she was 3, said she applied on Aug.

How nice for Evelyn I hope that they are letting her know that voting in a Federal election by a non-citizen is a felony and all little goodies will go away. It won't be hard to protest the election if Evelyn votes. - Shades of hanging chads. JMO

Obama administration officials said the program was part of a broader effort to focus enforcement on illegal immigrants with criminal records and to avoid using resources to deport otherwise law-abiding young people who have been here since they were children.

It doesn't matter if they are otherwise law-abiding young people now. No fault of their own, but the parents brought them here illegally and they shouldn't be here. Period!

“Our nation’s immigration laws must be enforced in a strong and sensible manner, but they are not designed to be blindly enforced,” said Peter Boogaard, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman. “These young people do not represent a risk to public safety or security.”

Blindly enforced?? You come here illegally, you broke the law, you get deported! It doesn't matter if these kids present a risk or not, they came here ILLEGALLY and don't belong here!!

"The program does not provide any legal status, which only Congress can do through legislation.

Young immigrants said they had been surprised by the quick results. Evelyn Rivera, 24, who was born in Colombia but has been living illegally in the United States since she was 3 years old, said she applied on Aug. 16, the second day of the program. She is scheduled to give fingerprints next week."

If it doesn't provide legal status, then they shouldn't be allowed to take our damned jobs or do anything else.

Miss Revera is 24 and had time to come through the proper channels. It's like they wait to get handed privilages on a silver platter or something.