President
Barack Obama has promised to issue a set of executive orders that will
effectively allow up to 5 million undocumented immigrants to avoid the
risk of deportation according to an NBC News report.
The President has previously said that he would prefer to work with
the US Congress in undertaking a more comprehensive immigration reform,
but his chances of achieving this has been made near impossible as a
result gains made by Republicans in the recently midterm elections with
control of both chambers of Congress going to Republicans.
Today, the President addressed the nation outlining his intentions
and explaining that in the absence of cooperation from Congress he was
forced to use his executive powers to provide relief to undocumented
immigrants, but only within boundaries of the law.
It is widely expected that the executive orders in question will
build upon President Obama’s previous executive 2012 Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals, popularly known as the DREAM Act, by providing
deportation relief to undocumented parents of US citizens and permanent
residency holders. Millions of undocumented persons who qualify for
President Obama’s immigration relief program will be also be eligible to
receive work permits.
International students with graduate degrees in specialized fields
are also amongst groups that will benefit from President Obama’s
executive orders.
US Republican lawmakers, however, have expressed their anger at
The President’s use of his executive authorities on the matter, claiming
that the moves were unconstitutional and were the result of political
calculations designed to secure significant support from immigrant
groups, particularly an emerging Latin American political base.
"Just as with Obamacare, the action the President is proposing isn't
about solutions," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the
Senate floor Thursday. "It isn't about compassion. It seems to be about
what a political party thinks would make for good politics." McConnell
added.
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