Obama Halts Deportations

In a move that draws both praise and ire, President Obama announced Thursday that he intended to revise the process by which illegal immigrants were deported. Specifically, illegals awaiting deportation would have their cases reviewed and prioritized with violent felons being first on the list and students, veterans, and several others would qualify to remain in the country indefinitely and even obtain citizenship.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - According to the Obama administration's announcement, a new federal group would review the cases of some 300,000 people who are faced with deportation. Individuals who had convictions for violent felonies would be reviewed first and deported as quickly as possible. At the bottom of the list would be students, veterans, and people who were brought to the country illegally as children. 

Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano wrote in a letter to Congress, "This case by case approach will enhance public safety. Immigration judges will be able to more swiftly adjudicate high-priority cases, such as those involving convicted felons."

Napolitano and others claim the change is necessary because of the substantial backlog of cases. That backlog presently means that some cases could remain undecided for a very long time leaving violent criminals in the country and others, such as students, with a long-term period of uncertainty which could affect their ability to attend school. 

While many immigrant activist groups have praised the move, others have slammed it as a backdoor form of amnesty. It is referred to as backdoor amnesty because it is the result of executive mandate, rather than Congressional review and approval.

Many object to the change because it softens the government's stance on illegal immigration, however, analysis are quick to point out that being in the United States illegally isn't a crime, but rather a civil code violation. 

The policy does not affect the estimated 10 million or more people who are living in the country illegally, but only those 300,000 currently in deportation proceedings.

The Obama administration is still pursuing comprehensive immigration reform including passage of the DEAM act, which would allow young people brought into the country illegally, to become citizens as a result of schooling or military service. 

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