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WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration on Tuesday directed young illegal immigrants to fill out new forms and pay $465 if they want to apply under a new program that would let them avoid deportation and obtain a U.S. work permit.
The government renewed warnings that the process wouldn't lead to citizenship or give them permission to travel internationally. It will begin accepting immigrants' applications Wednesday.
The paperwork for the program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, can be downloaded from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, said the agency's director, Alejandro Mayorkas. Applicants must pay a $465 fee and provide proof of identity and eligibility.
Under guidelines that the administration announced Tuesday, USCIS said proof of identity and eligibility under the program could include a passport or birth certificate, school transcripts, medical and financial records and military service records. DHS said that in some instances, multiple sworn affidavits, signed by a third party under penalty of perjury, could also be used.
A decision on each application could take several months, and immigrants have been warned not to leave the country while their application is pending. If they are allowed to stay in the United States and want to travel internationally, they will need to apply for permission to come back into the country, a request that would cost $360 more.
The administration announced the plan in June to stop deporting many illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. To be eligible, immigrants must prove they arrived in the United States before they turned 16, are 30 or younger, have been living here at least five years, and are in school or graduated or served in the military. They also cannot have been convicted of certain crimes or otherwise pose a safety threat.
Mayorkas said being approved to avoid deportation "does not provide lawful status or a path to citizenship."
The announcement came just months before what is shaping up to be a tight contest for the White House. President Barack Obama has come under fire by Hispanic voters and others who have say he hasn't fulfilled a previous campaign promise to reform the nation's immigration laws. The policy change could stop deportations for more than a million young illegal immigrants who would have qualified for the failed DREAM Act, which Obama has supported in the past.
Critics of the program, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, have called the policy backdoor amnesty and say they worry about fraud.
"While potentially millions of illegal immigrants will be permitted to compete with American workers for scarce jobs, there seems to be little if any mechanism in place for vetting fraudulent applications and documentation submitted by illegal immigrants," Smith said Tuesday.
DHS said anyone found to have committed fraud will be referred to federal immigration agents.
The Migration Policy Institute estimated last week that as many as 1.7 million people could be eligible to stay in the U.S. and legally work under the new policy.
DHS officials have repeatedly said the department doesn't have an estimate on how many people may apply. In an internal document outlining the program's implementation officials estimated about 1.04 million people would apply in the first year, and about 890,000 would be eligible.
The document, obtained by The Associated Press, estimated that the program could cost between $467.7 million and $585.4 million. The department anticipated collecting about $484.2 in fees.
August 15, 2012 @ 7:13 am
…and all an employer has to do is nothing regarding this botched mission.
An E O is not “a Law passed by Congress” no matter how Barry twists our Legal system. When these ‘permits’ are presented, simply ask the applicant to show you in the Federal Register where Congress passed and the President signed this insane Power Grab. You simply do not recognize this as a Law Of The Land.
…or just tell them there’s no Room at the Inn.
August 15, 2012 @ 2:09 pm
I hope your right. The bunch in the picture looks like a gang.
August 16, 2012 @ 9:39 am
Can a new president rescind this order or is in cement?
August 16, 2012 @ 9:56 am
While I agree with the president’s action, if Romney is elected he does have the power to rescind this.
August 15, 2012 @ 8:50 am
the u.s. congress better grow a set right now and put a stop to this dictator or they will be irrelavent in a obama 2nd term and probably disolved.
August 15, 2012 @ 11:47 am
“Critics of the program, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, have called the policy backdoor amnesty and say they worry about fraud.”
So why do these critics simply complain and whine about their concerns? They are in a position to stop this simply by filing articles of impeachment against Obama because he has violated federal immigration laws. He arbitrarily changed the law by executive order and that is illegal.
He has violated federal laws several times, refusing to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act, using taxpayer money to take over GM and Chrysler, circumventing the federal bankruptcy courts, making recess appointments when Congress wasn’t actually in recess, using military action against Libya while lying to Congress, etc.
What has Congress done except go on TV and complain, even though they are the only ones who actually have the power to correct the mess? If House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith is concerned about this, why doesn’t he offer to begin impeachment proceedings?
August 15, 2012 @ 9:38 am
Well, will the unemployment go up again because these illegals wont be able to find jobs or the other alternative will be they will take jobs away from legal Americans. Oh I forgot we aren’t supposed to call them illegals anymore but are supossed to say undocumented. Like the killing at Ft. Hood, it was not a terrorist attack, it was a workplace incident.
August 15, 2012 @ 11:20 am
Here we go again “Executive Order” by-. passing Congress
August 15, 2012 @ 12:04 pm
Should we be fortunate enough to get him elected, Romney’s second order of business after repealing Obamacare should be the repeal of the Dream Act. This is a disgraceful and sleazy act by a Commander-in-Chief who has to sneak legistlation in through the back door rather than going through the proper channels. I’m totally disgusted by this excuse for a President.
August 15, 2012 @ 12:28 pm
LAPhil,
There can be no repeal of the DREAM act because it never did become law. The only thing necessary would be for Romney to issue an executive order voiding Obama’s previous executive order.
This is another complaint I have against Congress because an executive order does not carry the weight of a law, yet Congress sits on its hands and lets Obama completely change a valid federal immigration law and initiate procedures that are actually illegal under the law.
August 15, 2012 @ 2:49 pm
All I can say is; …GIVE A MAN ENOUGH ROPE! President Romney needs to do a half hour “infomercial” on all the constitutional “side stepping” this slimy, lying, dsceptive,narcissistic, socialist, political scum-bag stenching up the oval office has perpetrated on the American public. List it all on a flyer and mail to every single house hold in the country along with the solution to rectify it.
Unlike The first lady…for the first time in my life….I’M EMBARRASSED AND ASHAMED of my government…but… I STILL LOVE MY COUNTRY!
August 15, 2012 @ 6:03 pm
bna42:
That’s pretty much what I meant. In any case Romney will need to undo it.
Pingback: Dream Act goes into effect by executive order - ALIPAC
August 15, 2012 @ 5:39 pm
There is a great letter to a Dem senator circulating via email. Here it is:
FORMS ARE GOING FAST- SIGN UP TODAY!
Becoming Illegal (Actual letter from an Oregon resident sent to his
senator,)
The Honorable Wyden
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Phone (202) 224 3254
WashingtonDC , 20510
Dear Senator Wyden,
As a native Oregonian and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue
Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted
the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the
process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.
My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen
to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by
the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill
is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States
for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a
$2,000 fine and income taxes for only three of the last five years.
I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the
process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay
taxes every year so I’m excited about the prospect of avoiding two
years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way
that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an
excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in
2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local
emergency room as my primary health care provider once I have
stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures
I could save almost $10,000 a year.
Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter
would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school
applications, as well as ‘in-state’ tuition rates for many colleges
throughout the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the
burden of renewing my driver’s license and making those burdensome
car insurance premiums. This is very important to me, given that I
still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become
illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary
forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent, (hoping to reach ‘illegal alien’ status
rather than just a bonafide citizen of the USA )
DBR
Lebanon, Or
Get your Forms (NOW)!
Call your Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-289-1040
I purposely changed the name to initials only.
August 15, 2012 @ 6:05 pm
That’s a great one. A copy of that should be sent to Obama as well as every senator and congressman.
August 16, 2012 @ 10:17 am
Please send it to the commie in white house and tItle It the presIdent that dislikes
the American citizen the now almost extinct human in our nation . And while we are at it how about a ctizen dream act that say s
anything a illegal can do a citizen can as well , like travel with no photo id or government approved papers lime a passport or heckling lets give MexIco CA and nd Nancy Pelosi if all the illegals agree to self deport and stay in CA.
August 16, 2012 @ 2:40 pm
I truly hope and pray this letter gets to those that need to see it..I would love for this to be published in every newspapaer nationwide. People do not realize what we are dealing with. I wept when I got the news that Obama used Executive Order to push his DREAMact through. My daughter, who is in college has dreams too. But her dreams don’t matter to this regime we are being governed by. He does not care that the nation is broke, he wants to tank our economy because that helps facilitate his Plan. His Plan is dangerous! His Plan will sink the America that I love, and that you love.
This is tyranny, folks. Pure tyranny by a dictator with a plan that does not have our best interest at heart.
August 28, 2012 @ 3:02 pm
If they award an Oscar, for the best comment of the day,Bobbie, you won it hands down. Articulate,intelligent, and spot on. You have become my hero, today. John Nicoletti, Naples, Florida
August 16, 2012 @ 12:27 am
Congress had better wake up before it is to late. Its so obvious that one man and one man only is running this country.(Into the ground I might add) CONGRESS-WAKE UP!
August 16, 2012 @ 2:44 pm
It’s a dictatorship in progress…simply using tyranny to get his job of destroying our nation, dividing people and taking our economy…done. Does not matter that it will drive our already high unemployment rates further through the roof…just get the job done so the dictator can go on to the next phase of his mission. It’s so easy for those of us that have studied up on this to see, and I cannot understand why others are so blind.
August 16, 2012 @ 9:04 am
Do I understand this right? They are here illegally, they SHOULD be deported, we won’t LET them leave on their own, and we’ll let them come back if they pay a few measly hundred dollars again? Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this picture? If they leave on their own, it sounds like a win win situation to me, then the only problem is keeping them out.
August 16, 2012 @ 9:17 am
Three cheers for Jan Brewer for nullifying Pinocchio’s illegal nullification of immigration laws. http://ow.ly/d059o
August 16, 2012 @ 2:49 pm
Yes, cheers for her, indeed! But, they are already talking about how Brewer will face lawsuits. I wish the FED. Gov. would kick my state out of the union…sigh
August 16, 2012 @ 9:31 am
It seems to me if an applicant comes to a place to get a job if hes on the dream act make a good reason and dont hire him. There are so many reasons not to hire someone pick one.
August 16, 2012 @ 9:37 am
The illegal travel freely and illegally while we the citizens are imprisoned in our own nation being spyed on, phones tapered, military drones watching Us, when legal steel citizens identity’s, citizens die by the hands of illegal’s bullets fly across out boarder and for dome reading theosteoporosis power nation on earth say’s unlike every other nation on earth we can nit seal Iraq defend our own border’s but we protect every other nations borders it time to standup and fight for our national and individual sovernty
August 16, 2012 @ 9:39 am
The illegal travel freely and illegally while we the citizens are imprisoned in our own nation being spyed on, phones tapered, military drones watching Us, when legal steel citizens identity’s, citizens die by the hands of illegal’s bullets fly across out boarder and for dome reading theosteoporosis power nation on earth say’s unlike every other nation on earth we can nit seal Iraq defend our own border’s but we protect every other nations borders it time to standup and fight for our national and individual sovernty vote for s free America
August 16, 2012 @ 9:43 am
I pray Jan Brewer is over h.l.s and sheriff Joe over the dept of justice
August 16, 2012 @ 9:47 am
Bobbie mAden my point, I say wrong elect yo be come illegal when eerily can vote illegally like they do a los
August 16, 2012 @ 2:52 pm
As a business owner as far as I am concerned work permit or not they are still illegal aliens. It is against the law to aid and abet an illegal and unlike the pos prez, I follow the law and will NOT hire these so called “Dreamers”. Their “dream, the taxpayers “nightmare.”
August 16, 2012 @ 3:04 pm
Good for you, Lizzie! Stand your ground. I hope that business owners everywhere will refuse to break the law. But, these illegal people, these non-US citizens will flood our health-care system, our already burdened infrastructure…the effects of this DREAMact forced on our nation, will be disastrous, any way you look at it. Unemployment rates will rise even higher.
One common thing I have noticed about Democrats is that they do not study up on important issues, and they do not listen, they will just raise their voices and “talk over” anyone that does not agree with their ridiculous talking points. How do you teach them anything? They cannot learn. The rest of them are lazy, apathetic voters, who just vote for what sounds good, or what their friends tell them to.
August 16, 2012 @ 3:43 pm
Dana I agree with you that they do not listen, but talk over anyone that has a different point of view than they do. Being from Massachusetts my family has always been Democrats. Thank God most of us now realize that this is not our Grandfather’s or Father’s Democratic Party anymore. However, the younger ones still need to be convinced of this. It drives them crazy when I have a solid answer to all their liberal talking points. Hopefully they will wake up and smell the coffee.
August 17, 2012 @ 2:45 am
If one million illegals pay $465 each, the government gets rich, taking $465 million from non-citizens.