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Damian Dovarganes / AP
David Buenrostro, Adrian James, and Jahel Ramos protest outside the Obama campaign offices in Culver City, Calif., Thursday, June 14, 2012.
While some illegal immigrants and their advocates heralded the Obama administration’s announcement Friday that it would no longer seek the deportation of most undocumented youth, others expressed skepticism, saying it was a grab for Latino votes and wouldn’t make a big difference.
“We’ve been hearing for a long time that this administration is supportive of undocumented youth, he supports the Dream Act, always says it. But at the same time, we’re literally fighting deportation case after deportation case,” said Mohammad Abdollahi, one of the founders of National Immigrant Youth Alliance. Abdollahi said he was “very skeptical” of the announcement and didn’t “buy it at all.”
Abdollahi spoke with msnbc.com from the Obama campaign office in Dearborn, Mich., which he says he and other protesters had shut down recently in an effort to force Obama’s hand on the issue. Young illegal immigrants also have been occupying such offices in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the California cities of Oakland and Los Angeles.
Noting that they believed last year’s guidance to give prosecutorial discretion in deportation cases wasn’t helping illegal immigrants, Abdollahi said the new guidelines outlined in the government memorandum released Friday would not provide categorical relief for Dream Act-eligible youth and would be applied on a "case-by-case basis" by local offices who were "very set on deporting each and every one of us."
“If this administration wants to tokenize us, then give us something for it,” he said. “It’s just ridiculous that we have to get deported and he is still winning his Latino vote.”
Obama administration won't seek deportation of young illegal immigrants
The Department of Homeland Security announced that effective immediately the government would no longer seek the deportation of illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and would allow them to apply for work permits if they meet certain criteria.
A senior administration official said in a conference call with reporters that as many as 800,000 undocumented immigrants stand to benefit from this change. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the shift represented neither immunity nor amnesty -- buzzwords for conservatives who oppose illegal immigration -- but instead represented an instance of "prosecutorial discretion" in which the government had re-evaluated its priorities in enforcing the law.
The announcement represented a major policy shift, and its political implications will be significant.
Cesar Vargas, who started DRM Capitol Group, LLC, to advocate for people in his position -- he illegally entered the country from Mexico when he was 5 years old -- welcomed Obama’s announcement: “We’re speechless.”
“A lot of the work that dreamers have been doing … it’s showing fruit, so we’re a little bit shocked, a little surprised and definitely excited,” said Vargas, 28.
But he also noted that while it was great that young illegal immigrants were no longer being targeted for deportation, he wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a “political announcement.” He said the White House had called his group and “assured us that it’s a very meaningful process that’s going to be set up.”
“Hopefully, he is serious and I think it’s great, but right now we are going to continue all our campaigns,” he added. “Obviously, he is giving us a reason to fight for him so we’re going to continue our pressure on Mitt Romney 110 percent right now … he (Obama) took a chance with us, you know, we’re going to stand by him.”
Obama immigration order poses dilemma for eligible illegal immigrants
The shift essentially accomplishes many of the legislative intentions of the DREAM Act, an immigration reform bill that had stalled in Congress due to Republican objections. President Obama favors the legislation, while presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has said he would veto that law.
In the memorandum to immigration enforcement officials, the government said it would not pursue immigrants who met five criteria: those who came to the United States under the age of 16, are no older than 30, are currently enrolled in school, have graduated high school or served in the military, have been in the country for five continuous years, and have a clean criminal record.
For Yelky Ramos, a 20-year-old recent college graduate who came from the Dominican Republic when she was 13, the change means she should be able to get a job. That will provide "great relief" to others like her, who have finished university, and provide an incentive to youth in high school, she said.
“We just hope that the way they’re going to implement it is going to be fair to the undocumented youth and it won’t be a trap in which people will be applying for this type of deferral and then find themselves … (in) legal proceedings that might lead to deportation,” she said.
The change won’t have an immediate impact on her parents since, who don’t have any status in the United States and are planning to return to the Dominican Republic.
“They know that immigration reform is very far from happening here in the United States with this political arena,” she said.
Chung-wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, called the move an “amazing,” “historic” victory and said it would "lend huge momentum" to fixing the immigration system.
“ … it’ll change the fundamental direction of where our country is going,” she added. “Now, we’re going towards the kind of reforms that will … really affect the lives and the futures of so many more people.”
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I think they should all head to Eric's house and camp out. Eric.....stock up on black beans arroyo rice........ Eric your going to need it.
It appears that Eric got under the skin of the bigots on this vine. Hmmm.
why laurie? did he offend you?
So...in this Economy i'm to believe that making 800,000 Plus people that entered My Country Illegally are Now Legally qualified to take the Job that i am Now without ? I did Not Ask these People to come Here . No Matter their Lot in Life they broke the Law by coming Here and then Staying here. Now they are to be Rewarded with the Jobs that i and Millions of Real Citizens Need ? What in Hell is this Country becoming ? Nation of Laws My As# !
Why haven't you taken the job already instead of whining and complaining? Been complaining about the lazy bums on unemployment insurance while you're waiting for yours to run out?
Your Comment doesn't even deserve a Reply .
It's your fault if you're unemployed and you don't take an open job. The Republicans keep saying it and mention the being lazy to work when you are getting rich off unemployment.
NO WAY add 800,000 to this country NO WAY
Not adding even one.
They're already here.
Duh
That doesn't mean they are working. Duh
I bet ya a lot more of them are working as opposed to the white American kids that are too obese, too lazy or too afraid to get their hands dirty.
We've already paid for their education and taught them english. Sunk cost. Might as well get some legal work out of them.
Hank, why would you demean fellow American citizens just to support the boy in the white house?
Btw...I've seen plenty of obese Hispanics.
Funny to have a guy that spends his day calling fellow Americans socialists and spewing non0stop insults at oany one that disagrees with him, tell me I'm demeaning fellow citizens. The same citizens my sons, father, grandparents and I fought for.
You got balls.
You demeaned them...not me. Yes I do have balls. Too bad the boy in the white house doesn't.
They are not recognized CITIZENS so yes adding 800,000 is what i do not want to happen you DUH.
You are funny guy! DUH
This is absolute abomination. This POS just gets worse. I have to change the channel, he makes me SICK!
More Obama vote buying. All it is, he needs all he can get. Bueller, Bueller, where is Elvis. What a joke this president is.....and not funny.
Illegal immigrants should be thrown in work camps. Those that pass amnesty of any kind should join them.
Yeah, let's uphold the constitution and put them and all the libbies in camps.
And the conservatives and businesspeople that hire them.
Yeah, let's take America, land of the free, back from these jokers and put them in camps.
We'll show them how to be free whether they like it or not.
Compare President Obama's stands: (1) Gay marriage, and (2) work permits for educated undocumented immigrants who want to be here. It takes political courage to do the right thing knowing that it will cost you in the election. The last day of school was today, and it is appropriate to let those graduating that they will not be evicted from this country.
Mitt Romney doesn't have the backbone to take a stand, unless it is approved by the Tea Party, Grover Norquist, Donald Trump or any of his right-wing billionaire contributors.
You should learn the difference between political courage and political suicide.....Mitt Romney will represent the LEGAL CITIZENS of this country come January.
Not all of them.
Maybe you should consider life in a less free domain.
How are those stances going to cost Obama the election? Are there some Republicans out there that aren't going to vote for him now? He took those stances a few months before the election in order to buy votes. Plain and simple. Had he truly felt they were important he would not have waited so long.
The Constitution starts off with "We the people" but continues with "of the United States...." That's what the potus swears to uphold.
Well...he did say he is doing this "for the good of the American people".....so at least somewhere in his twisted little mind, he knows this is America and there are people here.
Keep the kids, deport their parents.
illegal is illegal!
at one time the country was built like this but at a time like this with so many out of work i ask; is this the right policy for right now and i answer myself, i don't think so.
I think that if the kids are still with they should get deported too. I do not condone taking kids away from their patents unless its child abuse or something of that nature. I just cant conceive deporting the parents and letting the kids stay. Who will take care of them, will they be put in foster care?
This is for over 16 "kids". I would have kicked it up to 18 so they can stay with full adult rights but we're talking little kids here.
and under 30. Estimated by him to be 800,000. More likely real life number 8,000,000
Hmm, let's see...how many MORE incentives can we offer illegal immigrants to keep flooding in here? How about a weekend at Walt Disney World?
That's right, all you young Mexicans hurry and sign up so President Romney knows where to find you and your families in February.
Yeah, so he can give them amnesty like Ronnie Raygun did.
Romney/Rubio !!! Then we can have two anchor babies on the GOP ticket!
You think the mormons would do any different. Romney would give amnesty to them all.
This is a big part of their faith and their argument against same sex adoption. The Mormons don't believe in depriving anyone of their mother or father.
Maria Hinojosa confronted Obama in this documentary.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/lost-in-detention/
Way to try to spin the idiot in chiefs actions.
BTW...Romney and Rubio's parents are LEGAL citizens....can you prove obama is?
Having personally watched a family go through the process of becoming 'legal', I am all for this. Many people try to become citizens via the system but are delayed for years and jump through one arbitrary hoop after another. I'm not saying the process should be easy, but it should be straightforward.
Miz....not everyone can become a citizen of this country....WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE WORLD!
Thank you jpeg
Well Obama just helped me decide that he's not getting my vote, I want a President that follows the law and upholds our laws as written until they are properly changed or overturned by law. Not one that tries to buy votes by political means and decides which laws he wants to enforce or ignore.
The 1% are above the law. Where were you when Dick Cheney was breaking the law using waterboarding? What about the efforts in Republican states to disenfranchise voters because they are likely Democrat voters? What about Florida where the govenor is refusing to abide by federal election laws? President Obama has done the right thing because this is graduation month for many of the immigrants who want to remain American. The political consequence will be far more negative than positive.
Still pretending thats true, lol.
So who is setting up the tax payback plan for them?
And you were 'on the fence'? I don't think so.
dls
would you PLEASE cut the crap about the waterboarding! Why should we care if terrorists were waterboarded? Wheres your outrage at what those people do to our soldiers. As a wife of a soldier, a soldier who has seen what those people do to our soldiers and even to their own women and children could care less
Why don't we just annex Mexico?
50% of young Americans can't find jobs; so, let's add another 800,000 to the mix.
They're already here so what's being added ?
Already annexed mexico. Its call the Southwest. ;)
Desperate times call for desperate measures!!!
And the GREAT thing is we will now be able to identify ALL THE ILLEGAL PARENTS HERE THROUGH THE REGISTRATION of the these children.
They are already know as undocumented in school. President Obama has done the right thing because this is graduation month for many of the undocumented immigrants who want to remain American. The political consequence will be far more negative than positive.
This is a slap in the face to all immigrants that have come to America legally. I don't like how Obama thinks he can pick and choose how to enforce the law.
The 1% are above the law. People only complain when the 99% are given a break.
Where were you when Dick Cheney was breaking the law using waterboarding? What about the efforts in Republican states to disenfranchise voters because they are likely Democrat voters? What about Florida where the govenor is refusing to abide by federal election laws? President Obama has done the right thing because this is graduation month for many of the immigrants who want to remain American. The political consequence will be far more negative than positive.
In other words, 'you didnt buy us off yet, give us more and you will have bribed us into voting for you'
Just as despicable as obama buying votes like he does.
You need to pick the weeds out of your Republican garden.
Where were you when Dick Cheney was breaking the law using waterboarding? What about the efforts in Republican states to disenfranchise voters because they are likely Democrat voters? What about Florida where the govenor is refusing to abide by federal election laws? President Obama has done the right thing because this is graduation month for many of the immigrants who want to remain American. The political consequence will be far more negative than positive.
Im all for waterboarding, disenfranchising voters only applies to legitimate voters who dont vote because they know their vote will be stolen, no laws are being broken in FL, and no he didnt do the right thing for americans, just for himself.
Now can you stop cutting and pasting that, youre one of 50 libs that is doing that crap, you guys are really unoriginal.
Do 30 seconds research and you'll see it's against the law for Florida to purge voters this close to an election.
The internet is a great tool and really useful for research.
It's not just a facebook page.
So is it ILLEGAL for FL to purge the voters?
Why does being ILLEGAL matter to you all of a sudden?
It's a long way till November. If this doesn't poll well, Obama can just do a 180. No one will hold him accountable for a flip flop. The press worships him.
Mitt Romney will wait to see how this plays out, then he'll be a me-too. Mitt Romney doesn't have the backbone to take a stand, unless it is approved by the Tea Party, Grover Norquist, Donald Trump or any of his right-wing billionaire contributors.
Wow, you like building little fantasies and then upsetting yourself with them , I see.
Mitt doesnt have to. They're both running on obama's record.
Anchor Kids and Babies gather in and unite! Your free ride to US citizenship is about to start. I want to see the report of families that got into the US with tourist Visas and see if they left the country or overstayed their Visa like so many do.
No one gets upset about them because most of them are white or asian. It's only the brown ones we want out.
Latin America will at some time surpass the US because the social conservative policies against education, science, and other liberal secular progress will result in national incompetence that conservatives are promoting. Brazil is on her way, and the more insular America becomes, the more talented and educated people will look for other countries to find freedom and prosperity. The question is not why they hate us, but why Americans hate foreigners.
Funny thing how the liberal progressives control the education system...isn't it.
dls... Liberals control a majority of our Education system and curriculum. So if our kids grow up dumb...it will be mostly by Liberal policies. Social conservatives control a minuscule part of our educational system...so I am not sure where you are going with that point
I suggest you brush up on your Latin American history and current news. I do business all over Latin America and have done so for almost 20 years, especially with Brazil, and I travel there frequently. Countries there have deep Socialist/Communist roots and most continue having massive inflation and corruption problems. Brazil had to issue a new currency altogether at one point, from the Cruziero to the Real. We have never been close to doing that in America. There are also huge variances between the poor and prosperous. America's poor that's living on welfare live much better lives and have much greater freedom and opportunities than the poor in Latin America.
If you never lived in LATAM, I suggest you try it. It will make you appreciate America in ways you never thought possible.
All immigrants to America were illegal - where is the welcome speech from the American Indians who were ripped off their land when the colonists came and the west was over-run by settlers?
dls...We are a country of laws and not all immigrants to America were illegal.
Btw...American Indians didn't just suddenly appear here..they came from Asia.
and many welcomed the sttlers with open arms, that was their certificate of legality.
When are you idiot libs going to stop making that ridiculous argument? You really needed to go to school beyond the 3rd grade.
Yep, the Indians on the east coast originally welcomed us.
Then we practiced genocide on them.
If we are a country of laws, then why are laws favorable to the 1% wealthy and corporations? Laws are only meant to oppress people when those people appear to provide competition to the privileged. I'm all for just laws that apply to everyone equally, not one set of laws to favor the privileged and another to oppress the under privileged. And, yes, the American Indians migrated here, but they didn't have to displace anyone or take land away from anyone. Being first does help.
what do the 1% have to do with obama breaking federal law?
Maybe you or your ancestors did, but mine didn't....speak for yourself.
Where was the outcry when Reagan gave amnesty to illegals in 1986?
The same rhetoric was given about the Irish. They will take our jobs, they are not Americans, etc.
I don't understand why Obama wants to put more troops on the border? For what? Maybe it would be like having Walmart greeters.
I am saddened and dismayed by the actions taken by this President. I have crossed party lines - as I no longer can support or defend the Democratic Party. The past 3 years have been an abomination and as a true American, I am appalled that this President thumbs his nose at the Constitution. Perhaps he needs a version of Websters dictionary...as "illegal immigrant" means "one who has entered a country illegally. It is not the fault of true Americans that so many illegals entered our borders and then opted to have children or knowingly bring their children into America. We, as Americans did not make the decision made by these parents. Therefore, if the offspring is angry...they should vent their anger at those responsible...their parents. Mr. President...ILLEGAL means just that. Please stop circumventing Congress for your own political lifeline. I now call myself a Republican...as I'm confident so many other "once Democratic" Americans have opted to do as well. I am no longer dedicated to the party...but I am a dedicated AMERICAN.
"I have crossed party lines - as I no longer can support or defend the Democratic Party"
You've been posting anti-Obama, anti democrat crap since 2009 andnow you want us to beliieve this action from Obama has caused you to cross party lines ?
Right.
That would be correct...as this President has been in office 3+ years....his "true" beliefs became quite evident as soon as he took office. This was not the ideals he portrayed during his campaign. And, yes, as an AMERICAN, I have the right to change political parties!
I once was a Republican, but changed when Karl Rove began his smear against Senator McCain in the GWB election. Republicans always are judgemental whether it is law or the Bible; the problem is that most laws are passed by the privileged to oppress the under-privileged. Just look at our tax law that favors the 1% and corporations over the 99%. How many of you 99ers are going to flip out over fair treatment for the other 99ers just because they are not white? The Republican Party is a magnet for all the racists in America. All you moderate Republicans who are not racist nor cynics, the Democrat Party has a place for you, and you will not be threatened with excommunication if you debate reasonable conservative options. The brown-coloreds, whether Hispanic, Mid-Eastern, Asian will be major business owners as well as educated laborers, and will have an affiliation for the Democrat Party which stood by them as they fought for their place in America. When we have a nation of fair play where everyone plays by the same rules, everyone benefits. President Obama is your option. Join with us in a nation that is inclusive and not the one that is fighting to preserve the privilege of the 1%. I don't aways agree with everything, but I'm sure not going to give up my independence to belong to a narrow minded, anti-progress right-wing party that places religious bigotry before opportunity and freedom. If you want to be a racist, join the Republican Party; if you have a semblance of compassion for other people, join the Democrat Party and advocate for your interests. The Democrats can compromise to reach consensus on many issues.
What a bunch of drivel! So now, if someone is a Republican that makes them a racist? I think you should clear the cobwebs out of your head and stop listening to Rev. Wright. As far as the Dems welcoming me with open arms...I wouldn't go back to that party as long as they continue to look the other way while the President circumvents the Constitution for his own political agenda. I find THAT to be repulsive and believe that most Americans do as well.