deferred action pros & cons
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DeferredActionPros&ConsbyImmigrationAttorneyDaveBennion
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano issued on Friday, June152012 instructions to federal immigration agencies not to deport undocumented youth who meetcertain criteria. The criteria are based on the provisions of the proposed DREAM Act. President
Obama announced the policy change at the White House soon afterward.
The new policy, if implemented, would provide temporary relief to many undocumented youth
in the United States. Undocumented organizers who fought for their rights and their communitiesdeserve the credit for today's policy change.
Pros:
Itallowspeopletoapplyaffirmatively,notjustaftertheyhavebeencaughtupinthedeportationprocess.Thiswillpotentiallybenefitamuchgreaternumberofpeople
thanpreviousguidance.Workpermitsareavailable.Many,thoughnotall,ofapplicantsgranteddeferredaction
willbeeligibleforworkpermits.Atwoyearperiodofdeferredactionwillbegrantedtosuccessfulapplicants.Thepolicyaffectsallthreeimmigrationagencies.Today'spolicymemofollowsaseries
ofsimilarmemosoverthepasttwoyearswhichhavedonelittletostemthetideof
recorddeportationsunderthispresident.Previousguidanceonexercising
prosecutorialdiscretioninlinewithenforcementprioritieswasdirectedonlyto
ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE),whichignoredtheguidance.Today's
memocomesfromSecretaryNapolitanoandisdirectedtoallthreeagencies:Customs
andBorderProtection(CBP),U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices(USCIS),and
ICE.Hopefullythepolicywillbeappliedmorecomprehensivelyacrosstheagencies
thantheprosecutorialdiscretionpolicyhasbeen.
USCISwillhavemorecontrolovertheprocess.ThemajorityofapplicationswillbereviewedbyUSCIS,whichadjudicatesapplicationsforimmigrationbenefitsandisnot
formallytaskedwithimmigrationenforcement.
Cons:Thisisnotanexecutiveorder.ThepolicydoesnotgrantDeferredEnforcedDeparture
(DED)orTemporaryProtectedStatus(TPS),whicharedesignatedbythePresidentbyexecutiveorderonhumanitariangrounds.EventhoughthePresidentdecideswho
doesordoesn'tqualifyforTPSandDED,thesestatusescarrycertaindueprocess
protections.Applicationscanbeappealedinimmigrationcourtifinitiallydenied.TPS
orDEDstatuscannotbeterminatedwithoutcause.Incontrast,thepolicyannounced
todayonlygrantsdeferredaction.Thereisnorighttoappealadenial.While
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applicantscanaskforsupervisoryreviewofaninitialdenial,thatsupervisorydecision
willbefinal.DHScandenyanyapplicationinitsdiscretioneveniftheapplicantmeetsthe
eligibilitycriteria.Wewilllikelyseemanyofthesamedueprocessproblemsthatwe
haveseenwiththeprosecutorialdiscretionpolicy,whichledtoagrantrateof1.5%.
Therewillbenoimpartialadjudicator,norighttomeaningfulreviewoffaulty
decisions,andnoformalizedwaytopresentandevaluateevidenceorlegal
arguments.TheprovisionsdealingwithcriminalconvictionswillallowDHStowronglydeny
applications.The"significantmisdemeanor"isanewconceptinimmigrationlaw
uniquetothispolicy.Someconvictionswillnotclearlyfallinsideoroutsidethe
"significantmisdemeanor"category,andUSCISofficerslacktheguidanceand
expertisetonavigatethosewaters.Initsprosecutorialdiscretionreview,DHShas
treatedanyarrestasequivalenttoaconviction.Thispolicyturnsthepresumptionof
innocenceonitshead,denyingundocumentedpeopletheprotectionsafforded
citizensinthecriminaljusticesystem.SincethepolicyannouncedtodayisbasedsolelyonthediscretionofDHS,theriskishighthatDHSwillcontinuetotreatanycontact
withthecriminaljusticesystemasfataltoanapplication,regardlessofwhetherthere
wasaconviction.Deferredaction,oncegranted,canbeterminatedatanytimewithoutjustificationor
review.Manypeoplewillbedeportedsimplyforapplyingfordeferredaction.USCISwillrefer
somedeniedcasestoICEforinitiationofremovalproceedings.Sincethereisnoright
toappealanerroneousdecisionbyUSCISunderthenewpolicy,mistakesmaygo
uncorrectedandleadtothedeportationofqualifiedapplicants. Immigrationenforcementofficersarelikelytoignorethenewpolicy.ApplicationsfordeferredactionwillbeadjudicatedonlybyUSCISofficersandICEattorneys.ICE
enforcementofficersandBorderPatrolofficershavebeeninstructedtofollowthe
policyguidelines.ButICEandBorderPatrolofficersignoredpriorinstructionstofollow
theprosecutorialdiscretionguidelinesandfacednoconsequences.Theproposed
remedywhenICEorBorderPatrolofficersviolatethenewguidelinesistocalltheLaw
EnforcementSupportCenterhotlineorcomplaintotheICEOfficeofthePublic
Advocate.ManypeoplewhoarewronglytargetedbyICEorBorderPatrolwillnotbe
inapositiontodoeitherofthosethings,andtheircaseswillnevercometothe
attentionofthepublicorthosewhoaretaskedwithmonitoringimplementationof
thispolicy.DHS'sinternalmonitoringproceduresareopaqueandineffective,soeven
whencomplaintsaremade,theyarenotlikelytoproduceresults.
ReadmoreinformationaboutDeferredActiononwww.nysylc.org