Obama’s ‘Immigration Accountability Executive Action’

On June 23, 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 4-4 decision on the lawsuit blocking the implementation of the expanded DACA and DAPA components of Obama’s Executive Action. The tied vote meant the lower court injunction against implementation of the programs would remain in place, a huge disappointment to the millions of undocumented immigrants who might have qualified for the temporary relief from deportation.

NNIRR Deplores Supreme Court Immigration Ruling, Calls on Obama to Suspend Detentions and Deportation — NNIRR’s statement on Supreme Court ruling on DACA-DAPA (June 23, 2016)
Supreme Court Deadlocks On Immigration, Leaving Obama’s Deportation Relief Plan In Limbo, Huffington Post (July 23, 2016)
On November 20, 2014, President Barack Obama announced his historic “Immigration Accountability Executive Action” that will provide temporary relief from deportation for some 5 million undocumented immigrants. The two administrative relief programs, however, were blocked by a lawsuit from 26 states. After wranglings in lower courts, the case was heard in the U.S. Supreme Court on April 18, 2016.

Click here to read NNIRR’s latest update on the hearing. (April 15, 2015)

Click here to read an overview of the case and the Supreme Court hearing from Vox.com

Click here to read overview of the Supreme Court case from American Immigration Council. (April 16, 2016)

Click here to for the transcript of the oral arguments in the Supreme Court on April 18, 2016

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***UPDATE***

February 17, 2015: Federal Judge Andrew Hanen ordered a halt on President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

• This ruling is not permanent, does not affect the current DACA program and only delays the application process.
• Immigration advocate groups urge all potential recipients of the extended DACA and DAPA programs to continue preparing the necessary paperwork to apply.
• For more information about what this ruling means, please check out these websites:

– National Immigration Law Center (NILC)

– Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc.

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November 20, 2014

Here is the White House fact sheet on the executive action.

Summary to follow shortly.

Click here to read NNIRR’s Commentary on the Executive Action (Nov. 26):

Obama’s Executive Action is a Historic Step – But We Need Fairness and Justice for All: Stop Detentions and Deportation, Roll Back Militarization of the Border

Click here to read NNIRR’s Open Letter to President Barack Obama on the Eve of His Announcement of Executive Action on Immigration

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NNIRR IN THE NEWS ON EXECUTIVE ACTION

Who Will Lose Under Obama’s Executive Action? (By Julianne Hing, Colorlines, Nov. 21, 2014)

Asian American Advocates Say Immigration Action Falls Short (Emil Guillermo, NBC News, Nov. 21, 2014)

KPFA radio broadcast – Living Room, with NNIRR Executive Director Catherine Tactaquin (Nov. 21, 2014)
California’s reaction to Obama’s impending immigration action ranges from joy to outrage (Josh Richman, David E. Early, Matt O’Brien and Thomas Peele, San Jose Mercury News, Nov. 19, 2014)
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MEMOS ON EXECUTIVE ACTION

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson issued a series of legal memos outlining the various programs described by President Obama in his announcement on Nov. 20, 2014. We list four key ones here to read/download:

• Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children and with Respect to Certain Inidividuals Who Are Parents of U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents [Deferred Action]

• Policies for the Apprehension, Detention and Removal of Undocumented Immigrants

• Southern Border and Approaches Campaign

• Secure Communities

Further information is available at the DHS website: http://www.dhs.gov/immigration-action?utm_source=hp_feature&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=dhs_hp

USCIS information page on executive action: http://www.uscis.gov/immigrationaction

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COMMUNITY RESOURCES

A major concern for the administrative relief portion of the executive action is community-accessible information. The program will not be available for some months yet, and interested community members are encouraged to seek information from trusted community legal and advocacy groups first, and to be aware of unscrupulous lawyrs and others who will be taking advantage of people’s need for legal counsel.

Community legal clinics will be available in many cities for more information and direct access to legal assistance.

We will post links to key information pieces and websites as they become available.

FAQ – The Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Parental Accountability & Expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, from the National Immigration Law Center, Nov. 21, 2014. More information available at http://www.nilc.org/relief.html

www.adminrelief.org – a website for administrative relief information and resources, hosted by CIRI, the Committee for Immigration Reform Implementation, a collaboration of various groups and unions.

iamerica.org – an informational website hosted by consortium of advocacy groups and unions. Information available in various languages.