Effective legalization for thousands of Irish undocumented allowing them to work freely and not be deported would be part of the executive action immigration plan that President Obama is said to be making public next week.
Irish undocumented parents with American-born kids and no criminal record would be eligible for the Obama action, which would have a massive impact on the numbers of undocumented.
Fox News, which received documents from a government agency dealing with the issue, said the president is prepared to introduce a 10-point plan that would effectively legalize 4.5 million long term undocumented and refocus enforcement on criminals and other undesirables.
So called DACA children (Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals) would also be eligible, people who were brought to this country at a very young age by their parents. That would mostly impact Hispanic residents.
The Obama plan appears to be specifically aimed at the long term undocumented who have put down roots in America and who have no criminal records or disqualifying features. They would be able to receive work permits and seek legal employment. The right to travel abroad is not expected to be part of the plan.
Obama was briefed on the plan before his Asia trip. Fox News says the executive action could be announced as early as next week.
There is also a proposal in the leaked document to raise pay for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in order to boost morale.
The plan also includes a propsal that undocumented immigrants can secure legal status by joining the U.S. miiltary through the delayed entry program.
Other proposals include a “50-percent discount to the first 10,000 naturalization applicants, 500,000 technology jobs through the State Department visa program, and increased border security,” according to Fox.
However, newly elected House Speaker John Boehner has warned Republicans will oppose the executive action.
Politico.com reported that Boehner told his caucus on Thrsday he had warned the president about it.
“I told the president last week directly: ‘If you proceed with executive amnesty, not only can you forget about getting immigration reform enacted during your presidency, you can also expect it to jeopardize other issues as well,’” Boehner said, according to a source in the room.
“We don’t know when exactly he’ll do it or how exactly he’ll do it. But if he proceeds, we are going to fight it.”
Conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer also weighed in on the plan, blasting it as "constitutionally odious."
He said the proposal is ”an advertisement to the world that you can come into America illegally, and if you wait long enough, we will legalize you.”
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