Immigration Policy Targeting Military Families Outlined in Memo

An internal memo from Citizen and Immigration services outlined plans to ease the path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are spouses and family of Americans serving in the military.

“In the absence of Comprehensive immigration Reform, USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations, exercising discretion with regard to parole-in-place, deferred action and issuance of Notices to Appeal (NTA) and adopting significant process improvements,” the memo said.

“… This would enable thousands of individuals in (Temporary Protected Status) to become lawful permanent residents,” the memo continued.

Republicans immediately denounced the memo, alleging the Obama administration is trying to circumvent Congress and legalize millions of illegal immigrants.

“The document provides an additional basis for our concerns that the administration will go to great lengths to circumvent Congress and unilaterally execute a backdoor amnesty plan,” GOP Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, who released the memo,  told the Associated Press.

Immigration agency officials have reportedly denied such a plan, telling the New York Times that the memo’s proposals were largely notional.

According to the memo, it is “theoretically possible to grant deferred action to an unrestricted number of unlawfully present individuals,” but the the option is too politically controversial and expensive, the Times noted.

The issue is the latest surrounding a contentious debate over illegal immigration, even as controversial laws in Arizona are being challenged by the federal government.

A Chicago native, Bridgette has been a journalist since she first wrote for her seventh grade newsletter. Today, that passion is just as strong. She has written for several newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Defender, the Marshall News-Messenger (Texas) and the Springfield News-Sun (Ohio).

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3 Responses to Immigration Policy Targeting Military Families Outlined in Memo

1. JustMe says:

   4:22pm August 2, 2010 at 4:22 pm

   Atleast the military is doing whats right. God bless our troops!

   Reply
2. Ann says:

   9:06am August 3, 2010 at 9:06 am

   So all an illegal needs to do is marry a person in the military and presto-now you're a citizen? Or I guess you could be an aunt to the President and just ignore deportation orders,receive taxpayer-subsidized housing and a free hip replacement courtesy of Medicaid.

   Reply
3. john says:

   11:50pm September 27, 2010 at 11:50 pm

   ann stop hating, i suggest u either marry a military member or join the armed forces to see how rigorous the training and military life is. looks like u full of hate. No wonder you aint got shit.

   Reply