November 22-2013
More and more, immigration reform is beginning to look like a dead fish. Fewer and fewer analysts are predicting it will go anywhere in Congress this year.
President Obama appears to have reached that same conclusion. As a result, the Obama Administration is relying more often on making administrative changes to America’s complicated immigration system, in an effort to achieve at least some of the goals he has aimed for.
For example, The Associated Press says Obama started by instructing government agencies to use discretion to find and deport only the most serious criminals, ignoring minor crimes.
Then in mid-2012, he announced a plan to offer young immigrants in the country illegally a reprieve from deportation and work permits for at least two years.
Now, as it appears less likely that Congress will change immigration laws, the White House is chipping away at the edges with further changes.
A nine-page memorandum issued Friday is the latest in a series of immigration policy changes. The government has long had the power to stop deportations of relatives of military members and veterans, but Friday’s memo lays out clearly how and when it should be used.
The latest order gives US Citizenship and Immigration Services officials the power to “parole in place” immigrant spouses, children and parents of current US service members, reservists and veterans. The change means that those immigrants can apply to legally live in the United States.
Back in August, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement told managers how to deal with immigrant parents or legal guardians of young children. The memoranda said that before someone is deported, ICE officials should consider whether he or she is the primary caregiver for a minor child, has a direct interest in a family court or welfare proceeding or is the parent or guardian to children who are US citizens or legal permanent residents.
The administration has also allowed immigrant spouses and children of US citizens to stay in the United States in some cases.
Other rule changes gave more flexibility to the Homeland Security Department’s use of immigration holds for people in local jails.
House Republicans have long criticized the administrative changes. And the president doesn’t have the authority to achieve most of what he wants administratively. All he can do is nip at the edges.
The Senate earlier this year passed a sweeping immigration bill that called for a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million immigrants living illegally in the country now.
But activity has stalled in the House. Last Wednesday, House Speaker John Boehner said the House will not hold talks on a compromise with the Senate. The Senate bill faces strong opposition from House Republicans, many of whom don’t like the idea of offering citizenship to people who broke immigration laws to get into the US in the first place.
