Deferred Action Blog

Morton Memo II: Deferred Action Promised to DREAMers

by Matthew Kolken

DHS Announces Deferred Action Process for Young People Who Are Low Enforcement Priorities

by Danielle Beach-Oswald

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that effective immediately, certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

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Napolitano Offers Hints of How Deferred Action for DREAMers Will Work

by Greg Siskind

Thanks to reader GG for the link to CNN’s interview with the DHS Secretary.

Here are the highlights:

On the process for applying -

“There are those who are in removal proceedings now. We will either find them or we’re asking them to help us self-identify. There will be hot lines and web sites up over the next couple of days.

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Dream Politics And Implementation by ILW.COM

President Obama’s announcement on the halting of deportation of DREAMers is an ominous news for the Republicans, because it highlights both a short term and a long term problem for them. The Latino voters are nation’s fastest growing minority. If the Democrats can succeed in making the Latinos a solidly Democratic voting block the Republicans would be permanently locked out of the White House. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, has been strangely quiet on President’s announcement. During the primaries, Romney pandered to the anti-immigrationist wing of the Republican party to win the nomination. If he were to attack President Obma’s new policy it would be sure to alienate the Latino voters, and lead to his defeat in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and other swing states thereby leading to his loss in the Presidential election. To make matters worse, a recently released Bloomberg poll shows that, by a 2 to 1 margin, likely voters, as well as independent voters, support President Obama’s policy of providing work authorization for the DREAMers. Halting of the unjust persecution of young people who were brought to this country when they were children is gathering widespread support. For Republicans and their current standard bearer, pursuing anti-immigrationist policy is to write off the White House in 2012 and in elections to come. Sooner they realize this the better it is for them, for the US and for all those afflicted by our nation’s broken immigration system.

Greg Siskind has some suggestions for the administration: “This is designed to be a post to encourage constructive suggestions for implementing the President’s new policy for DREAMers. Here are two to kick things off - 1. Use the I-765 as the application form rather than coming up with something new. Simply add a supplemental instruction form regarding eligibility for the policy and listing types of supporting documents that need to be included. 2. Consider modifying the new ELIS electronic filing system to accept these applications. With a possible million applications coming, the agency is going to face extreme pressures to adjudicate cases in a timely manner and maintain quality control. This is an excellent opportunity for USCIS to show off this robust new system. 3. Do not delay issuing employment cards until after the deferred action is approved. Consider using TPS and adjustment of status as a model. In both types of cases, work cards are granted while the applicant waits on the approval of the underlying application. Remember that not only do you need the EADs to work, but also to get drivers licenses and driving without a license is a way for anti-immigrant zealots like Joe Arpaio in Arizona to make life miserable for DREAMers. Expect to see lots of people thrown in jail for the misdemeanor of driving without a license if you decide to wait on issuing EADs. Other ideas?” Please let us know your thoughts by writing to us at editor@ilw.com.