Obama says he will announce Immigration Reform Steps Soon (edited to agree with article title)

[Janelle2002 3,865]

The 10 points of the draft plan are:

Expand ‘deferred action’ for young illegal immigrants

This would expand a major step taken by Obama in June 2012.In June 2012, Obama offered a deportation reprieve – a.k.a., deferred action -- for illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, entered before June 2007 and were under 31 as of June 2012.

The change would expand that to cover anyone who entered before they were 16, and change the cut-off from June 2007 to Jan. 1, 2010. This is estimated to make nearly 300,000 illegal immigrants eligible.

Expand ‘deferred action’ for parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents

This would significantly expand the above program by also giving a reprieve to illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for more than five years and have children who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.

This could allow upwards of 4.5 million illegal immigrant adults to stay, according to estimates.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., voiced concerns, though, that illegal immigrants could simply fib in order to meet the criteria for this program. Further, he said millions more people would then be “entitled” to U.S. privileges including health care.

Regarding the proposed expansions, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton told Fox News this amounts to a direction from the White House “not to enforce the law.”

“If experience is any guide, it will lead to one of the greatest mass migrations in history,” he said.

Immigrant advocates, though, have argued that deferred action has been used plenty of times before, and that it is needed to help undocumented immigrants come out of the shadows.

Prioritize deportations for serious criminals

This would be a Department of Homeland Security-wide enforcement policy to prioritize deportations for serious criminals and other individuals deemed a threat – including gang members.

The department already does this to some extent. Though critics say the prioritization so far still allows criminals to skirt deportation, House Democrats backed this approach in a letter to the president on Thursday urging executive action.

“Our national security suffers whenever we spend precious enforcement resources on hardworking immigrant families, rather than on criminals and those who mean our communities harm,” they wrote.

End ‘Secure Communities’ and start a new program

This would discontinue the so-called “Secure Communities” program. Under this program, the FBI has taken fingerprint information that it gets from local jails and checks it against immigration databases. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can then pursue deportation for any illegal immigrants who have a serious record or are otherwise deemed a threat.

Hundreds of thousands of “criminal aliens” have been deported this way.

However, while federal immigration officials consider this program a helpful enforcement tool, Secure Communities has been controversial and some local jurisdictions have refused to participate. The plan calls for replacing this with another, unspecified program.

Boost pay for ICE officers

This calls for a pay raise for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, to “increase morale.” Earlier this year, the National ICE Council – the union representing ICE workers – called for more funding for the agency. It’s unclear whether pay raises would address the union’s deeper concerns about the administration’s immigration policies.

Expand high-tech visas

The plan calls for working with the State Department to expand visas for foreign-born workers with high-tech skills, to support U.S. businesses. This is projected to offer another half-million immigrants a path to citizenship. Groups like the Chamber of Commerce have been calling for more of these visas – but Sen. Sessions has argued that the priority should be getting U.S. citizens back to work.

Strengthen border security

The plan would commit additional resources to the U.S.-Mexico border to deal with illegal immigrant traffic, partly in response to the surge over the summer of undocumented children from Central America.

Border security has been a priority for Republican lawmakers, who want to see the border secured before considering a pathway to legal status for illegal immigrants who already are in the U.S.

Expand provisional waivers to spouses and children of legal permanent residents

This would expand a provisional waiver program announced in January 2013 for undocumented spouses and children of permanent residents and U.S. citizens. The waiver lets them stay in the country – the plan calls for an expansion, though the details are unclear.

Expand ‘parole’

The government currently allows “parole” for illegal immigrant relatives and spouses of U.S. military members – effectively letting them stay on “parole” status if they’re already in the country. The proposed change would expand the program for illegal immigrants whose children are citizens.

Promote the naturalization process

Currently, the naturalization fee is $680. To encourage people to begin the citizenship process, DHS would take 50 percent off the fee for the first 10,000 applicants.

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Improving legal immigration is at the bottom of the pile it won't win enough votes and like pretty much all politicians all Obama cares about is votes. Shame as it would be a lot easier to fix than illegal immigration!

[Janelle2002 3,865]

I had big hopes on this

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/streamlining-immigration

Looks like it only benefits illegals...

That was gobble gobble to get the people who are doing the process the right way to vote for the Dems. He never intended to help us. Period

[sachin1 42]

I had big hopes on this

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/streamlining-immigration

Looks like it only benefits illegals...

It amaze me how people think Obama is good for them. And most of them are board. IMO he is worst president we have ever.

On top of that Legal immigrant never thinks or reads history. In a long USA history Democrate has never helped Legal immigrant. But Media prescription is something reverse.

If he signs this executive order then we all go back to long ### line. . our file was almost to then end.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

outside the whelm

I just want to know what a "whelm" is.

[cj777 3]

I can't even think about the whole wait we have to go through...2013 filers wer lucky enough...

[Titanium 6]

I just want to know what a "whelm" is.

whelm

(h)welm/

verb

archaicliterary

1. 1.

   engulf, submerge, or bury (someone or something).

   "a swimmer whelmed in a raging storm"

noun

archaicliterary

1. 1.

   an act or instance of flowing or heaping up abundantly; a surge.

   "the whelm of the tide"

[dwheels76 5,468]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/14/obamas-immigration-plan-10-executive-actions-being-weighed-by-president/

The draft has been released...and none of the points include anything for legal immigrants except for tech workers...the rest is for the illegals...so does this mean we are back on the waiting line??

I just lost the creation of 500,000 Tech jobs so the dreamers can get jobs. Oh goodie for them.

Just sucks that people who did come here legally but overstayed aren't even in this equation at all. Shouldn't coming here legally amount to something.

And I am afraid IF this gets passed everything will come to a halt. I wouldn't be surprised if all these recent logjams is just the tipping point.

[dwheels76 5,468]

So with me having my husband here in the us I already filed my i130 and was going for the 601a waiver but we have a daughter here so once Obama does this law can we do this Daca thing to go faster what exactly is the process stick to the 601a

"This would significantly expand the above program by also giving a reprieve to illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for more than five years and have children who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents."

Has he been here 5 years?

[I love San Diego 18]

I should tell my fiance to enter this country illegally, she would probably get citizenship in a few weeks

[Merrytooth 5,748]

I should tell my fiance to enter this country illegally, she would probably get citizenship in a few weeks

How about just marrying the illegal that is already in US?

[dwheels76 5,468]

How about just marrying the illegal that is already in US?

Thats what I'm going to do. I could be a surrogate Greencard momma. :rofl:

[I love San Diego 18]

How about just marrying the illegal that is already in US?

Ha ha, yes another good strategy! Too bad my fiance is not an illegal american. I think she will be here pretty soon anyway, hooray!

[sachin1 42]

iLLegal in country has more benefit then Legal now a days.

I want to become iLLegal now.

[icv21 110]

I personally can't hate on DACA! Lots of them were just brought here as kids and it was not a choice for them, they know nothing but this country, it's their home. It's not their fault their families made this decision.

Not that I approve some law where parents can just send their kids here from now, but the ones who have been here for long time deserve it.

I can't blame them, if prostitution, crime and no future was all expected I would also do anything it takes to offer my family a better life!