360K more illegal immigrants eligible for Obama's deferred deportation program, group says
Illegal immigrants outside the White House, June 15, 2012, in support of the U.S. government's policy to stop deporting and begin granting work permits to younger illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. / AP
(AP) WASHINGTON — About 350,000 more illegal immigrants than previously thought could earn an extra two years in the U.S. when President Obama's new policy takes effect next week, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, students age 30 or younger who are enrolled in school on the day they apply will now be eligible for a two-year reprieve from deportation if they demonstrate that they came to the U.S. before their 16th birthday; lived there for the past five years; and have not been convicted of certain crimes or pose a national security threat.
Before the new rule was announced last week, the program was slated to be open to students enrolled in school as of June 15, 2012, or those who have graduated high school, received a GED or honorably left the armed services, including the Coast Guard.
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Obama's policy takes effect Aug. 15, and the government will begin accepting applications for deferral that same day. The application includes a fee of $465 used to fund the program, though exemptions will be provided for minors, homeless youth and youth with chronic disabilities that fall below 150 percent of the U.S. poverty level.
Applicants who are denied deferral will not have the option to appeal. Those approved will be able to separately apply for work authorization in the U.S.
The institute estimated in June that 1.4 million unauthorized immigrants could benefit from the program. Those estimates only included students who were enrolled in school as of that date. Speaking Tuesday at a panel at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Doris Meissner, Director of the institute's U.S. Immigration Policy Program, said as many as 1.76 million people could be eligible, based on new guidance the Homeland Security Department released Friday.
Jeanne Batalova, an author of the report, said the program is "a powerful incentive to go back to school" for young people who previously were not continuing their education.
Alejandro Mayorkas, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, emphasized that the program only serves to delay deportation for successful applicants, without excusing "past unlawful presence."
"It does not provide a pathway to permanent residence or citizenship," Mayorkas said.
The Homeland Security Department previously said that it could need to hire more than 1,400 full-time employees, as well as contractors, to handle the requests coming in. Mayorkas said both the number of applications and the pace at which they come in will determine how long it takes service centers throughout the U.S. to process them.
"In other words, will the agency experience a steady flow of volume from August 15th forward," Mayorkas said. "Will people who wish to request deferred action, will they file very quickly," or will they wait to see the outcome for other applicants.
Muzaffar Chishti, director of the institute's office at New York University's School of Law, said applicants' early reaction to the program and confidentiality for them, their families and their employers would be "very critical" for building confidence among potential beneficiaries.
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Tell me how a "gringo" or any other non-mexican can live in Mexico illegally. Other than the border towns, EVERY non-mexican in Mexico has to apply for and HAVE ON THEM AT ALL TIMES is their "permission form" to be in Mexico LEGALLY. You can stopped and asked by ANY official in Mexico to see if you are LEGALLY in Mexico. What do you think every non-mexican is doing in Mexico? They are spending their U.S Dollars, that's why Mexico LOVES non-mexican tourist and non-mexicans LIVING in MEXICO, LEGALLY! A non-mexican cannot VOTE, STEAL A MEXICAN'S JOB, PURCHASE PROPERTY THE SAME MANNER THAT A MEXICAN CAN, A NON-MEXICAN CANNOT BE A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON MEXICO. Mexico doesn't want those 400,000 gringos to leave. BTW, every gringo, black and asian living in Mexican CAN and DOES SPEAK SPANISH. Can't say the same for every illegal mexican in the U.S
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Thank you for this informative reply. Unfortunately for you, I live in Mexico and am considerably more familiar with the laws, how they are enforced and the status of gringos living here. First of all NO OFFICIAL stops you and asks for your documents except at entry or departure places near the border. If you do not have documents, you are "invited" to go to do the proper procedures within a designated time.
Of course you can't vote. Duh. You can work with an FM3 or FM2 and there is no provision against "taking a Mexican's job." I guess it is easy to sit in your recliner in the U.S. and be an expert on conditions in Mexico but the truth is that Mexicans DO NOT love the gringos living here and if you dare, check the Instituto Nacional de Migracion website to verify that 40% are undocumented. Mexicans DO NOT love the gringos because they enter areas like Lake Chapala and Baja and drive the prices up so that native residents have to move because they can't afford to live there any longer. By manipulations, gringos took ejido lands and forced farmers off their lands. In the 1980s, Mexico reclaimed some of these properties but today they have been lost again.
And every gringo, black and Asian living in Mexico can speak Spanish???? That's laughable! Which arm do you take it in? I have seen gringos who lived here for 25 years and didn't speak Spanish. I think it would be safe to say that 70% do not speak communicative Spanish. If you want to give an opinion about something, please do it with facts.
http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=119078&article=10329542\
Thank you Mr. Obama, for all the free stuff and letting all my friends from all over the world to come and visit, but please when you find time can you help me get a job. You see my family is hungry and my mortgage is due and my car is all out of gas.