NEW YORK TIMES (Editorial)
October 4, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/opinion/the-documented-life-of-immigrants.html
President Obama'’s decision to suspend the deportations of young immigrants who were brought here illegally as children has stirred a lot of hope and exhilaration. It has also created a daunting paperwork challenge, both for the people seeking the reprieve and for the agency charged with granting it.
Applicants need to prove that they arrived in the United States before turning 16 and have lived here continuously for the last five years, among other requirements. But it’'s not always easy to document the undocumented life --— especially for people not long out of childhood, who often work off the books and who lack driver'’s licenses, credit cards and other fundamental papers.
Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency handling the applications, deserves credit for posting detailed guidance on the Web about the documents and procedures needed to win a deferral. It would have been easy --— and much in keeping with the agency'’s old reputation --— to throw up rigid hurdles to give administrators the easiest route to saying no. But the director of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Alejandro Mayorkas, seems to be taking seriously the job of making this program work --— and quickly, in the 60 days between the announcement in June and when the first applications were received.
The agency won'’t say how many people have applied, but rough estimates put it at about 150,000 so far, with a fraction having won deferrals. The number is sure to grow as the pipeline swells; an estimated 1.4 million are eligible.
Many might be afraid to apply because they don'’t want to admit having done unlawful things, like using a fake ID, to survive. Those are understandable concerns. But making this important program succeed will take confidence and courage on both sides. Those who oppose it may well seize on administrative fumbles to stymie future efforts at immigration reform. There are 11 million Americans-in-waiting: If sweeping legalization ever happens, bringing them out of the shadows will be a difficult task. The country needs to show the competence and understanding to get it right. These young students are a dry run for much-needed reform.
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