Obama acts to spare young from deportation
Source: Agencies |
June 17, 2012, Sunday
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US President Barack Obama eased enforcement of the nation's immigration laws Friday, offering a chance for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work. Embraced by Hispanics, his action touched off an election-year confrontation with many Republicans.
Mitt Romney, Obama's Republican Party election foe, criticized the step but did not say he would try to overturn it if elected.
Obama said the change would become effective immediately to "lift the shadow of deportation from these young people."
"Let's be clear, this is not amnesty, this is not immunity, this is not a path to citizenship, this is not a permanent fix," Obama said. "This is the right thing to do."
The administration said the change, which bypasses Congress, will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants who have lived in fear of deportation.
Under the plan, illegal immigrants will be able to avoid deportation if they can prove they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five continuous years, have no criminal history, graduated from a US high school or earned an equivalent degree, or served in the military. They also can apply for work permits.
This comes in an election year in which the Hispanic vote could be critical in swing states like Colorado, Nevada and Florida.
Romney said Obama's decision will make finding a long-term solution to immigration issues more difficult. But he also said the plight of illegal immigrants brought to the US as children is "an important matter to be considered."
Mitt Romney, Obama's Republican Party election foe, criticized the step but did not say he would try to overturn it if elected.
Obama said the change would become effective immediately to "lift the shadow of deportation from these young people."
"Let's be clear, this is not amnesty, this is not immunity, this is not a path to citizenship, this is not a permanent fix," Obama said. "This is the right thing to do."
The administration said the change, which bypasses Congress, will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants who have lived in fear of deportation.
Under the plan, illegal immigrants will be able to avoid deportation if they can prove they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five continuous years, have no criminal history, graduated from a US high school or earned an equivalent degree, or served in the military. They also can apply for work permits.
This comes in an election year in which the Hispanic vote could be critical in swing states like Colorado, Nevada and Florida.
Romney said Obama's decision will make finding a long-term solution to immigration issues more difficult. But he also said the plight of illegal immigrants brought to the US as children is "an important matter to be considered."
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