Obama Administration Deportation Policy Changes May Come In ‘Two Step Process’

Reuters reported on Thursday that changes to immigration-enforcement and deportation policy being contemplated by the Obama administration will likely come in two separate steps. The first would be what Frank Sharry, director of immigrant-advocacy group America’s Voice, described as “initial enforcement reforms,” to be followed by “the bigger issues that advocates as pushing." Among the first reforms, the site writes, may be a shortening of the time period immigrants are considered recent entries -- a priority category for immigration authorities -- as well as more extensive background checks of detainees before determining whether they should be deported and an extension of deportation relief to those serving in the US military.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that more extensive changes were being considered to ease up on authorities’ scrutiny of two categories of undocumented immigrants: previous deportees without a serious criminal record who re-entered the country illegally, and fugitives from immigration proceedings. The White House has not confirmed any details of what changes might include. But they’ll likely fall short of those sought by immigrant advocates and liberal lawmakers like the 27 members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

In early April, CHC members sent a memo to Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson -- who is carrying out a review of immigration-enforcement policies on orders of President Obama -- recommending the administration use “all legal means available” to expand protection from deportation to the estimated 8 million undocumented immigrants who would likely be eligible for legal status under a bipartisan reform bill passed by the Senate last summer before dying in the House. As the odds of passage of a comprehensive immigration reform this Congress look slim, Obama has come under increasing pressure from advocates to take executive action, though he has insisted that he does not have the authority to grant such a sweeping extension of deportation protections.