As the NY Times reports today, the Obama administration might finally stop deporting young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and have not otherwise break the law. This is a welcome move from the Obama administration.
These young undocumented immigrants will have to show they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five continuous years, have no criminal history, graduated from a U.S. high school or earned a GED, or served in the military.
These requirements are very similar to those contained in the Dream Act proposal. However, this policy will not grant citizenship but at least it will give these young children work permits and it will remove the threat of deportation. It appears that their work permits will be valid for two years with no limits on how many times they can be renewed.
The Obama administration should be announcing this new policy shortly. If implemented, it's estimated that it will help around 800,000 undocumented immigrants. Contact us today to discuss your case with our immigration attorney!