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Breather for illegal US migrants
In a major policy change in the run-up to a tight White House race, President Barack Obama has relaxed deportation rules that would allow hundreds of thousands of young illegal aliens to stay put and pursue their American dream.
Under the initiative that at once endears Obama to America's largest ethnic minority, the Hispanics, an estimated 800,000 young illegal immigrants will be able to remain in the US without fear of deportation and pursue job opportunities.
With the change taking immediate effect, eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will over the next few months be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization.
The relaxation will apply to people under 30 who came to the US before the age of 16 and who are in school or have graduated from high school, or have served in the military and have not been convicted of a felony. Obama, however, sought to make it clear that what he has announced is not amnesty or immunity or a path to citizenship. It's not a permanent fix, but a stopgap measure giving a degree of relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people, he said.
"These are young people who study in our schools, they play in our neighbourhoods, they're friends with our kids, they pledge allegiance to our flag. They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. They were brought to this country by their parents -- sometimes even as infants -- and often have no idea that they're undocumented until they apply for a job or a driver's license, or a college scholarship," he said.
In an apparent counter to conservative groups demanding a more stringent immigration policy, Obama said: "Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine you've done everything right your entire life -- studied hard, worked hard, maybe even graduated at the top of your class -- only to suddenly face the threat of deportation to a country that you know nothing about, with a language that you may not even speak." "It's the right thing to do," he argued as a reporter from a pro-Republican website sought to heckle him as he made the announcement, adding: "Here's the reason: because these young people are going to make extraordinary contributions, and are already making contributions to our society."
Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, obliquely criticised Obama for trying to derive electoral advantage by coming up with such an announcement at this juncture.
"It's unfortunate that this sort of thing comes up four and half months before the election," Romney said in a TV interview.
In a major policy change in the run-up to a tight White House race, President Barack Obama has relaxed deportation rules that would allow hundreds of thousands of young illegal aliens to stay put and pursue their American dream.
Under the initiative that at once endears Obama to America's largest ethnic minority, the Hispanics, an estimated 800,000 young illegal immigrants will be able to remain in the US without fear of deportation and pursue job opportunities.
With the change taking immediate effect, eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will over the next few months be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization.
The relaxation will apply to people under 30 who came to the US before the age of 16 and who are in school or have graduated from high school, or have served in the military and have not been convicted of a felony. Obama, however, sought to make it clear that what he has announced is not amnesty or immunity or a path to citizenship. It's not a permanent fix, but a stopgap measure giving a degree of relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people, he said.
"These are young people who study in our schools, they play in our neighbourhoods, they're friends with our kids, they pledge allegiance to our flag. They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. They were brought to this country by their parents -- sometimes even as infants -- and often have no idea that they're undocumented until they apply for a job or a driver's license, or a college scholarship," he said.
In an apparent counter to conservative groups demanding a more stringent immigration policy, Obama said: "Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine you've done everything right your entire life -- studied hard, worked hard, maybe even graduated at the top of your class -- only to suddenly face the threat of deportation to a country that you know nothing about, with a language that you may not even speak." "It's the right thing to do," he argued as a reporter from a pro-Republican website sought to heckle him as he made the announcement, adding: "Here's the reason: because these young people are going to make extraordinary contributions, and are already making contributions to our society."
Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, obliquely criticised Obama for trying to derive electoral advantage by coming up with such an announcement at this juncture.
"It's unfortunate that this sort of thing comes up four and half months before the election," Romney said in a TV interview.
