Politico
By Seung Min Kim
November 17, 2014
Top Senate Democrats are backing up President Barack Obama’s promise to use executive action on immigration – as frustration grows among congressional
Republicans about Obama’s pledge to go around Congress on halting
deportations.
Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and other Democratic leaders sent a
letter to Obama on Monday, urging him to use his “well-established”
executive powers to “improve as much of the
immigration system as you can.”
“We
strongly support your plan to improve as much of the immigration system
as you can within your legal authority, and will stand behind you to
support changes to keep families together while
continuing to enforce our immigration laws in a way that protects our
national security and public safety,” the senators wrote in the letter,
provided in advance to POLITICO.
The
letter was signed by Reid and Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois,
Chuck Schumer of New York, Patty Murray of Washington, Bob Menendez of
New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado.
Durbin, Schumer, Menendez and Bennet were members of the Gang of Eight
that wrote the chamber’s immigration bill last year.
The
Democrats argued that Obama was well within his legal bounds to act
unilaterally on immigration – the main point of contention from
Republican lawmakers. For instance, they pointed to
how Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush instituted a
so-called “Family Fairness” policy that stopped deportations for 1.5
million family members of immigrants who were legalized under the 1986
immigration law.
The
Obama administration is considering expanding the universe of
undocumented immigrants who would qualify for deferred deportations by
using criteria such as longevity in the United States
and family ties, according to sources briefed on the discussions.
For
example, parents here illegally but who have children who are U.S.
citizens are almost certain to qualify, the sources said. More in
question are whether undocumented parents of so-called
Dreamers — many who have been shielded from deportations under a 2012
administration policy – would qualify as well.
“We
hope that your upcoming actions will expand on this program to include
individuals with strong ties to the United States and who have not
committed serious crimes, including the parents
of DREAMers, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, and workers
who play a vital role in our economy and heritage,” the Senate
Democrats’ letter said.
As
for ties to the country, the Obama administration is considering
requiring an undocumented immigrant to have been in the United States
anywhere from five to 10 years in order to be shielded
from deportations, the sources familiar with the discussions said.
Reports
have pegged the number of immigrants who could qualify as high as 5
million, but a senior administration official said Friday that the 5
million figure was at the upper limit of what
Obama is considering.
The
Democratic senators also urged for changes to immigration enforcement
policies, such as “refining” Secure Communities – a federal program that
calls on local law enforcement officials
to hand over fingerprints of people booked into local jails to federal
immigration authorities.
Another
request from the senators was for Obama to make changes to the legal
immigration system that would “keep immigrant families together, protect
workers, and allow employers to sponsor
more talented immigrants for U.S. citizenship.”
But Republicans on Capitol Hill have united against Obama’s impending executive actions.
Dozens
of House Republicans have signed onto a letter from Rep. Matt Salmon
(R-Ariz.) that wants to include language in any funding bill that would
block funds to implement any immigration
actions from Obama. Congress must pass a funding measure by Dec. 11 to
avert a government shutdown.
“Elections have consequences,” Salmon told reporters Friday. “The president needs to understand that.”
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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