Executive Action on Immigration

On November 20, 2014 President Obama announced his plan to provide interim relief from deportation to certain undocumented immigrant families through an exercise of his executive authority.  In addition, the President announced new strategies to increase border security and to retain high-skilled immigrants, recent graduates and entrepreneurs in the U.S.  To carry out these measures, the President directed the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Labor to coordinate the implementation of his directives.  These agencies will announce detailed guidelines in the next several weeks concerning the President’s blueprint, including procedures to request relief, changes to the employment based immigrant visa system effecting highly skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and researchers, the L-1B visa program, and OPT for recent graduates of U.S. universities and colleges. For more information about the President’s plan, please visit <http://www.uscis.gov/immigrationaction>.

It is vital to note that the President’s action does not grant permanent legal status or a pathway to citizenship to undocumented immigrants.  Rather, the executive action provides qualified individuals with interim work authorization and prevents their forced separation form their U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident children for a three year period.

Editor's Note: Originally Posted on 11/21/2014