Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced yesterday in a letter to Senator Harry Reid that the government would be individually reviewing all 300,000 deportation cases which are currently pending in immigration courts across the nation as part of a new policy to prioritize the removal (deportation) of convicted criminals. Secretary Napolitano's letter and a June 17, 2011 memo which it also references, both imply that this policy includes increased discretion for the Department of Homeland Security to provide temporary relief to individuals who have no criminal record. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced yesterday in a letter to Senator Harry Reid that the government would be individually reviewing all 300,000 deportation cases which are currently pending in immigration courts across the nation as part of a new policy to prioritize the removal (deportation) of convicted criminals. Secretary Napolitano's letter and a June 17, 2011 memo which it also references, both imply that this policy includes increased discretion for the Department of Homeland Security to provide temporary relief to individuals who have no criminal record. Secretary Napolitano also stated that this policy shift will also include a review of who is being placed in deportation proceedings in the first place, in order to demonstrate similar priorities in those procedures. Napolitano's letter stated:
This case-by-case approach will enhance public safety. Immigration judges will be able to more swiftly adjudicate high priority cases, such as those involving convicted felons. This process will also allow additional federal enforcement resources to be focused on border security and the removal of public safety threats.
Immigration advocates have hailed the news as a step in the right direction, although skepticism also exists whether this new review will actually result in any noticeable change in overall deportations. Even Secretary Napolitano admits that this policy does not alleviate the need for more comprehensive immigration reform.
Without any action by Congress, current undocumented immigrants should remember that this new policy is one that may be limited to the current administration. It doesn't confer any rights on undocumented immigrants, even those who may be accorded temporary relief under the review. Those individuals could still be put back into deportation proceedings whenever the policy might change.
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Secretary Napolitano also stated that this policy shift will also include a review of who is being placed in deportation proceedings in the first place, in order to demonstrate similar priorities in those procedures. Napolitano's letter stated:
This case-by-case approach will enhance public safety. Immigration judges will be able to more swiftly adjudicate high priority cases, such as those involving convicted felons. This process will also allow additional federal enforcement resources to be focused on border security and the removal of public safety threats.
Immigration advocates have hailed the news as a step in the right direction, although skepticism also exists whether this new review will actually result in any noticeable change in overall deportations. Even Secretary Napolitano admits that this policy does not alleviate the need for more comprehensive immigration reform.
Without any action by Congress, current undocumented immigrants should remember that this new policy is one that may be limited to the current administration. It doesn't confer any rights on undocumented immigrants, even those who may be accorded temporary relief under the review. Those individuals could still be put back into deportation proceedings whenever the policy might change.