Giving Young Illegals a Chance

DENVER POST (Editorial)

August 7, 2012

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_21249366/editorial-giving-young-illegals-chance

It's not a perfect system, but recently announced guidelines that may allow young illegal immigrants a chance at a job and a normal life — at least temporarily — are a step toward immigration reform.

We're glad to see President Obama moving forward with this effort and doing so in a way that focuses on a key group.

That group is made up of young people, brought here as children, who know no country but this one. They've gone to school or the military.

And without the reprieve this measure offers, they would be subject to deportation at any time.

Some have pointed out the uncertainty of identifying oneself to the federal government as being in the U.S. without legal status.

The Obama administration, however, has made it clear that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will not use information gathered from applications to begin deportation proceedings. There are exceptions for those with criminal records or those deemed to be security threats.

And that is how it should be.

But the nature of the way this policy was created — by executive action as opposed to being passed by Congress — could make it vulnerable to a change in administrations.

We don't have any indication at this point that Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, would reverse the policy. Yet we also don't know that he would keep it.

It's yet another reason that federal lawmakers must take on immigration reform.

Piecemeal efforts, such as Metro State University's tuition rate for illegal immigrants, help, but they invariably fall short of providing the broad relief that is necessary.

We were glad to hear Metro officials recently reiterate their resolve to push forward with the plan to offer Colorado students without legal status a tuition rate that is more than in-state, but significantly less than the non-resident rate.

While it makes tuition far more affordable, illegal immigrant students — be they at Metro or any other institution — still cannot receive government financial aid, such as Pell grants.

Owing to the government's reprieve on deportation, they may get a short-term work permit, but they still cannot plan a career, a family and a life. An estimated 1.4 million people could be affected by the policy, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

As we've said previously, we understand the potential political benefit that President Obama could derive from the policy change when it comes to the Hispanic vote in the November presidential election.

Be that as it may, it doesn't negate its value.

We hope the policy is in place long enough to show the benefits of encouraging motivated young people to become full partners in the American Dream.