Republican
lawmakers have decried Obama's policy, saying it is tantamount to "backdoor
amnesty" for as many as 1.7 million illegal immigrants.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., earlier this week questioned the
timing of the first wave of approvals.
"The speed at which
the deferrals are being granted continues to raise severe concerns about fraud
and the administration's ability to verify items like age of entry, educational
status and even current age," Sessions said.
President Obama and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the
program in June. To be eligible, applicants have to prove that they arrived in
the United State before they turned 16, are 30 years old or younger, be high
school graduates or in school, or have served in the military. They also cannot
have a serious criminal record or otherwise pose a threat to public safety or
national security.
The program closely tracks with the failed DREAM Act, a bill would
have provided a path to legal status for many young illegal immigrants. The new
policy does not provide legal status for the immigrants, but does protect them
from deportation for two years.
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