Obama’s Immigration Plan is Running out of Time
A year ago President Obama announced his plan to provide four million undocumented immigrants with the ability to live and work in the U.S. without fear of immediate deportation. The announcement triggered a surge of hope throughout immigrant communities nationwide and promised a glorious legacy for the president if his plans succeeded. But the executive action was stymied when conservative states who opposed the plan launched a legal battle that threatens to delay action until the end of the president’s term. Conservatives hope to keep up the fight in the lower courts long enough to prevent the case from reaching the Supreme Court until after the 2016 presidential election, leaving any final decisions about immigration to President Obama’s successor.
Activists have reacted in outrage that a much needed policy has been thwarted for political gain. They maintain hope that the case will reach the Supreme Court during the course of the president’s last term. They are counting on the Supreme Court justices to overturn the rulings of the lower courts, which have thus far ruled in opposition, and allow President Obama’s plans to proceed.
At this point, however, even if President Obama succeeds in winning the legal battle over his immigration plans, there will likely be time for only a few hundred thousand immigrants to qualify for protection.
In the meantime, government officials and immigration advocates are working to enact parts of Obama’s program that have not been blocked by the courts. These include new enforcement priorities for immigration authorities, which have already succeeded in curbing the number of deportations.
As immigrant communities across the country mobilize their efforts and raise their voices, some remain hopeful that they can gain enough power to sway Republican candidates to their side.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/us/in-courts-running-out-the-clock-on-obama-immigration-plan.html
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