On August 3, 2012, the Department of Homeland Security provided additional information on the deferred action for childhood arrivals process during a national media call in preparation for the August 15 implementation date.
As appearing in Law360, New York (July 11, 2012, 2:16 PM ET)
Deferred Action for Certain Young Immigrants:
On June 15, 2012, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and President Obama announced that effective immediately certain undocumented youth who were brought to the United States as young children, who do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings.
Have you heard the HUGE news???
Since 2001, when the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was first introduced as bipartisan legislation, its main provision—providing permanent resident status (i.e. a “green card”) upon completion of two years of college or service in the military—has held out hopes of a lasting solution for these young people. As the current political environment has become more polarized, bipartisan support for the DREAM Act has waned. Recently, however, new, more narrow proposals have circulated that either restrict eligibility for permanent residency to a smaller group of young people or offer no dedicated path to permanent residency (and, eventually, U.S. citizenship).
A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas, has just announced that he is an undocumented immigrant in a major article that just went up on the New York Times website. Tomorrow evening ABC News will be devoting its Nightline program to the story. Here are the links:
Today the Senate leadership made several strategic and unprecedented moves to make sure the DREAM Act has the greatest possible chance of passage. On Wednesday, the Senate delayed its initially scheduled cloture vote on S. 3992. That delay enabled the House to take its vote and win last night. Today, Thursday, the Senate withdrew its bill on the "table" vote. Now the way is cleared for the House bill to move forward in the Senate.
Washington D.C. - Today, the Senate voted 56 to 43 against proceeding to the Defense Authorization Act. This procedural vote, which basically followed party lines, ends consideration of critical social issues that affect the military and were to be offered as amendments to the bill. Among the amendments not considered is the DREAM Act, an immigration bill that would provide legal status to young people who graduate from high school and pursue college or military service.
