Washington D.C., Jun 15, 2012 / 14:37 pm
The U.S. bishops' conference offered its praise for a June 15 presidential order halting the deportation of younger immigrants who would have been eligible for benefits of the proposed DREAM Act.
"This important action will provide legal protection, and work authorization, to a vulnerable group of immigrants who are deserving of remaining in our country and contributing their talents to our communities," said migration chairman Archbishop Jose H. Gomez in a response to the announcement.
The young people affected by the executive order "are bright, energetic, and eager to pursue their education and reach their full potential," he said. Up to 800,000 unauthorized immigrants, brought to the U.S. as children, may apply for a work permit and a deferral of possible deportation.
President Obama announced the plan at a press conference on June 15, saying the measure was "not amnesty," nor "immunity" or "a path to citizenship" for illegal immigrants. He described the limit on some deportations as "the right thing to do" for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.