Executive Order on Immigration: Rumor v. Truth
It’s been four weeks since President Obama spoke to the Nation on Immigration Action and our office is getting a lot of inquiries on the subject. It seems that people are very confused about exactly what to expect, as there are a lot of rumors and speculations. The following are four clarifications that will help you understand what is going on.
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“The President has signed a law giving green cards to undocumented immigrants.” False.
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“Under the new Executive Order, immigrants will start receiving legal status on January 1, 2015.” False. The average waiting time will be between 6 to 18 months for temporary work permits for those who qualify.
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“If my child previously received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), now I can apply for Deferred Action for Parents (DAPA).” This is false. The requirements for DAPA by the Executive Order start with the need to produce evidence that Applicants are parents of either US citizens or green card holders.
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“Once DACA and DAPA end, the government will round up all of the immigrants who hold this status and deport them.” Highly unlikely. While many people worry about the temporary nature of DACA and DAPA given by Executive Order, it is impossible to envision mass removals of a population, which is typically estimated to be in the millions.
Above rumors are usually started by individuals seeking to defraud immigrants. Be sure to find an experienced law firm that specializes in Immigration Law if you have questions about the New Executive Action.
