Dear Friends and Clients:
Friends, today is an important day for our community. Tonight President Obama will address the nation about the steps he will take to provide protections to persons living in the U.S. without authorization and their families. We are excited for what this announcement could mean for many millions of people who have had to live in the shadows for many years.
President Obama will speak on live television tonight at 5PM to outline the executive actions he will take and the potential new relief he will authorize including probable routes to work authorization and temporary status. We have been waiting for this moment for years. We were hopeful before when the U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform law in 2013. That law stalled at the feet of the House of Representatives where the bill was not even allowed to go to a vote. Because of congressional inaction, the president is now making good on his promise to act.
The specifics of the President’s plan are not available at this time. But it is expected that through tonight’s announcement and a follow up announcement to be made from Las Vegas on Friday, the details and requirements of the plan will be made available. Based on early reports from the New York Times, Obama’s plan could protect millions from the threat of deportation and provide temporary work authorization.
The President’s program will not change the law affecting eligibility for permanent residency or citizenship. Only Congress can make permanent changes to these laws. But whatever proposal the president makes will greatly improve the lives of the millions of people it hopefully will impact. We are grateful that the president is making good on his promise and hopeful that his actions will spur our country’s lawmakers to act responsibly and take further action on immigration reforms. This is a welcomed step forward.
We will continue to provide updates as they become available and will provide the details of the President’s plan shortly. You are in our hearts and minds as this exciting development continues to unfold.
Sincerely,
All of us at Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza
