Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Whatever Happened to Immigration Reform?


After the U.S. witnessed such an enormous influx of unaccompanied minors earlier this summer, Americans were left wondering "what’s the next step for immigration reform?"  "Do we let them stay?"  "Do we send them back?" "How will this effect the President's proposed 'Path to Citizenship' for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants?"

While some are simply labeling this movement as a border crisis, others - primarily the immigration activists - see this as more of a “humanitarian crisis.”  Many of the now 60,000+ unaccompanied minors who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border were escaping violent acts brought upon by gangs and cartels in their South American hometowns and villages. There is even talk of allowing such individuals to be granted asylum status in order to give them temporary, or maybe even permanent, status in the United States.

All the while, record-breaking rates of deportations are happening under President Obama's watch.  Currently, 1,100 illegal immigrants are being deported every day, and immigrant communities, as well as activists for these communities, are pleading for Obama to make it stop.  They believe having to wake up every day and not knowing if their families will be broken because ICE may find one of them deportable is an “inhumane” act.  They feel they are refugees attempting to save their own lives, not simply “illegal immigrants.”  On the other side, you’ve got your believers who think if someone has been committing a federal crime for the past five years by being in this country illegally, the only thing they deserve is a bus ticket back to their country.  What do you think?

Unfortunately, President Obama has failed to live up to his word of taking executive action, with respect to immigration reform, by the end of Summer 2014.  It is now looking like said executive action(s) may have to wait until after the November elections.  While we all anxiously await his decision, are you thinking about how this may be affecting you directly?  If you or a loved one is being affected by this movement in some way, please call 949-440-3240 or visit our website by clicking on the link below: