Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano told CBS News on Friday that the U.S. immigration system was "never designed to focus upon" the beneficiaries of the Obama administration's new plan to stop deporting qualified children of illegal immigrants

 

 

What's the Dream Act all About ?

 

by Janet Napolitano

Our Nation' s immigration laws must be enforced in a strong and sensible manner. They are not designed to be blindly enforced without consideration given to the individual circumstances of each case. Nor are they designed to remove productive young people to countries where they may not have lived or even speak the language. Indeed, many of these young people have already contributed to our country in significant ways. Prosecutorial discretion, which is used in so many other areas, is especially justified here.

As part of this exercise of prosecutorial discretion, the above criteria are to be considered whether or not an individual is already in removal proceedings or subject to a final order of removal. No individual should receive deferred action under this memorandum unless they first pass a background check and requests for relief pursuant to this memorandum are to be decided on a case by case basis. DHS cannot provide any assurance that relief will be granted in all cases.

1. With respect to individuals who are encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):

With respect to individuals who meet the above criteria, ICE and CBP should immediately exercise their discretion, on an individual basis, in order to prevent low priority individuals from being placed into removal proceedings or removed from the United States.

USCIS is instructed to implement this memorandum consistent with its existing guidance regarding the issuance of notices to appear.

2. With respect to individuals who are in removal proceedings but not yet subject to a final order of removal, and who meet the above criteria:

ICE should exercise prosecutorial discretion, on an individual basis, for individuals who meet the above criteria by deferring action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, in order to prevent low priority individuals from being removed from the United States.

ICE is instructed to use its Office of the Public Advocate to permit individuals who believe they meet the above criteria to identify themselves through a clear and efficient process.

ICE is directed to begin implementing this process within 60 days of the date of this memorandum.

ICE is also instructed to immediately begin the process of deferring action against individuals who meet the above criteria whose cases have already been identified through the ongoing review of pending cases before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

3. With respect to the individuals who are not currently in removal proceedings and meet the above criteria, and pass a background check:

• USCIS should establish a clear and efficient process for exercising prosecutorial discretion, on an individual basis, by deferring action against individuals who meet the above criteria and are at least 15 years old, for a period of two years, subject to renewal, in order to prevent low priority individuals from being placed into removal proceedings or removed from the United States.

• The USCIS process shall also be available to individuals subject to a final order of removal regardless of their age.

• US CIS is directed to begin implementing this process within 60 days ofthe date of this memorandum.

For individuals who are granted deferred action by either ICE or USCIS, USCIS shall accept applications to determine whether these individuals qualify for work authorization during this period of deferred action.

Law Offices of Moses Apsan, p.c. practices in the areas of Immigration, Corporate Immigration, Family Immigration, Naturalization, bankruptcy, Dream Act throughout New York and New Jersey in communities including Essex County, Union County, Passaic County, Hudson County, Morris County, Bergen County and Somerset County, as well as the cities of Union, Linden, Rahway, Irvington, Hillside, Bloomfield, Harrison, Orange, East Orange, West Orange, Camden, Clifton, Edison, Jersey City, Passaic, Trenton, Union City, Newark, Ironbound, Kearny, South River, Jersey City, Paterson, Passaic, Elizabeth, Edison, Woodbridge, Toms River, Hamilton, Trenton, Camden, Clifton, Passaic, Garfield, Wallington, Cherry Hill, East Orange, Union City, Bayonne, Irvington, Old Bridge, Lakewood, Long Branch, North Bergen, Vineland, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills, New Brunswick, Plainfield, Bloomfield, Perth, Amboy, East Brunswick, North Brunswick, West New York, West Orange Hackensack, Atlantic City, Mount Laurel, Montclair, Hoboken, and Belleville. We also serve individuals and businesses located in New York's Queens, Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island including the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Huntington, Islip, Babylon, Smithtown, Brookhaven, Riverhead and the North Fork and South Fork (Hamptons) of Long Island. We assist people and businesses to file for relief under the Bankruptcy Code. We are a debt relief agency.