Local leaders react to Obama administration's deporation priorities
publicbroadcasting.net
Shomial Ahmad (2011-08-22)

ATLANTA, GA (WABE) -
The Obama administration announced a case-by-case review of hundreds of thousands of pending deportation cases. Local leaders on both sides of the illegal immigration issue react to the news.

The Obama administration has long said that its priorities are deporting illegal immigrants with criminal violations. And in its recent announcement, the administration says it will not focus its resources on low priority deportation cases. That includes young people brought to the country as children and military veterans.

Georgia Senate majority leader Chip Rogers thinks this announcement sends a wrong message.

"If someone's in violation of any offense and yet the executive branch gets to pick and choose which ones they actually want to prosecute. That's dangerous precedent. Because it sends the message that the law is not equally applied to everybody."

The Obama administration says clearing out low priority cases will make room for those who have committed crimes. Charles Kuck is an immigration lawyer.

"Certainly the reason is that cases are literally taking years to get to trial to final deportation for people who should be deported. And there are lots of people in the system who should be deported from the United States. These other cases are clogging up the system, particularly here in Georgia."

Kuck also thinks the new move by the Obama administration is political. It comes days after coordinated protests from the Latino community on the record number of deportations under the Obama administration.

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