President Obama on Friday, June 15, 2012 announced a temporary policy
providing a two-year deferral from deportation for young illegal immigrants who
entered the U.S. before the age of 16 and meet several other requirements.
The deportation deferral policy is intended to apply to young illegal
immigrants who entered the United States with their parents or other adults.
Children born to illegal immigrants while already in the U.S. are automatically
classified as American citizens under the 14th Amendment, as interpreted
by the Supreme Court in its 1897 U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark decision.
In
a memorandum issued Friday, June 15, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet
Napolitano authorized U.S. immigration officials to grant a renewable,
two-year deferral from deportation for illegal immigrants who pose no security
risk and:
* Are not above
the age of 30;
* Were under age
16 when they came to the United States;
* Have
continuously resided in the United States for at least five years;
* Are currently in
school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education
development certificate (GED), or are honorably discharged veterans of the
Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
* Have not been
convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple
misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public
safety.
Illegal immigrants meeting all of the requirements for deferral of
deportation will also be eligible to apply for authorization to work legally in
the United States.Call 212-402-6886
for more information.
