Obama's Immigration Reforms Eliminate the Risk of Deporting Millions

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, has effectively enabled nearly five million undocumented immigrants to remain in the country through a new program that reforms the immigration system, thereby eliminating the risk of deportation for millions of family members residing in the U.S. The President's action has faced sharp criticism from a group of Republicans in Congress. According to the White House, the recent reforms allow nearly all individuals who have been living in the U.S. without legal documentation for five years, and have a child who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident, to apply for a three-year work permit. In his speech on November 20, Obama stated that the new program is 'an immediate pathway to U.S. citizenship' without requiring necessary actions. He also remarked that 'deporting millions is not realistic.' In his address to American citizens, he emphasized that the nation has always been and will continue to be made up of immigrants. He stated, 'What makes us American is our shared commitment to a common ideal; we are all created equal, and we all have the opportunity to build our lives as we see fit.' According to AFP, this means millions of family members of U.S. citizens or residents can come out of the shadows, apply for work, seek residency, and start paying taxes. Reuters reports that Obama has rejected Republican criticisms that his immigration program amounts to amnesty for illegal immigrants, asserting that such an amnesty would occur only if 'the current broken law were left as is.' The U.S. President stated that mass amnesty is not fair, and mass deportation is neither feasible nor consistent with American values. According to Reuters, Obama's immigration program will cover 4.4 million of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.