So here’s what he’s doing.
The key to Obama’s new immigration policy is the creation of one new amnesty program and the expansion of another.
Specifically, Obama’s new amnesty program will give illegal immigrants who have been in the United States for at least five years, and who are parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents, a three year work permit. This permit will also allow them to obtain a Social Security number and get a driver’s license. Pew estimates that 3.5 million current illegal immigrants will qualify for this program.
Obama is also expanding the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals amnesty program. Previously only those illegal immigrants who were born before 1981 and entered the U.S. as a minor before 2007 were eligible for benefits. Now all illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as a minor before 2010 will be eligible for amnesty. Like the parents above, DACA recipients will also get work permits, Social Security numbers, and driver’s licenses. Pew estimates that 235,00 illegal immigrants will gain eligibility for benefits through this program expansion.
Is this legal?
Obama didn’t think so. As recently as this spring, and on more than 20 other occasions, Obama said he could not rewrite immigration law by executive action. TOWNHALL
