By Felicia Persaud
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 26, 2011: Advocates across the country are cautiously optimistic as the Obama administration announced on August 18th that it would review the deportation cases of 300,000 migrants who were facing removal due to minor criminal and/or immigration violations.
Many caught up in the proceedings were DREAMERS, who came to the U.S. with their parents illegally but otherwise, never broke the laws of this country or committed a crime.
Under increase pressure from the Latino immigrant community especially, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said under a Prioritization Plan, the DHS would focus on the enforcement of immigration laws against serious (foreign national) criminals who are a threat to public safety.
Meaning that ultimately, persons who are not serious criminals but caught up in deportation proceedings may find their cases administratively closed and work authorization issued. This of course does not apply to all immigrants in deportation proceedings.
But the Prioritization Plan announcement comes on the heels of a June 17, 2011 Memorandum from the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement titled: “Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion Consistent with the Civil Immigration Enforcement Priorities of the Agency for the Apprehension, Detention, and Removal of Aliens.”
“From a law enforcement and public safety perspective, DHS enforcement resources must continue to be focused on our highest priorities,” US DHS Secretary, Janet Napolitano, wrote in a letter to senators working to revamp the current immigration system. “Doing otherwise hinders our public safety mission – clogging immigration court dockets and diverting DHS enforcement resources away from individuals who pose a threat to public safety.”
The announcement has been welcomed by the immigrant community, many of whom had been growing consistently annoyed with the Obama administration for saying one thing but doing another on immigration enforcement and reform.
Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez, (D-IL), a staunch advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, was elated.
“This is the Barack Obama I have been waiting for and that Latino and immigrant voters helped put in office to fight for sensible immigration policies,” he said in a statement. “Focusing scarce resources on deporting serious criminals, gang bangers, and drug dealers and setting aside non-criminals with deep roots in the U.S. until Congress fixes our laws is the right thing to do and I am proud of the President and Secretary Napolitano for standing up for a more rational approach to enforcing our current immigration laws.”
“We are hopeful that this new action will bring us to a place where community safety is the focus of enforcement actions, and the pain felt in communities is diminished,” added Janet Murguía, President and CEO of The National Council of La Raza.
The move means that politically, Obama has solidified the Latino and immigrant vote again, going into 2011 without having to use his executive powers. Smart move indeed and a welcome relief to the many facing deportation and the nightmare of being ripped away from a country they have grown up in and love. Now it’s time for Obama to seriously take another look at the Secure Communities plan and help ensure the net cast that takes away an immigrant’s right to be first proven innocent or guilty does not conflict with this new plan and add to the overflowing detention centers and the burden of an already clogged court system.
The writer is founder of NewsAmericasNow, CaribPR Wire and Hard Beat Communications.
