the not-so-fine print

on june 15th i was crazy excited about the announcement made by mr. obama to allow relief from deportation and allow qualifying individuals to obtain work permits. "it's the right thing to do." the obvious was stated. i was high fiving obama. immediately i thought about all my dear friends and family that will be granted an opportunity to come out of the shadows with possibility of living free from fear of deportation and qualifying for jobs they would otherwise would be turned away from because of some arbitrary piece of paper.

there have been some misconceptions about what exactly this policy change actually is. here are some FAQ from unitedwedream.org:

Do I qualify?

In order to be eligible for deferred action, individuals must:

1. Have come to the United States under the age of sixteen.
2. Have continuously resided in the United States for at least five years preceding June 15, 2012 and are present in the United States on June 15, 2012.
3. Currently be enrolled in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development certificate, or are honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States.
4. Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.
5. Not be above the age of thirty.

Individuals must also complete a background check and, for those individuals who make a request to USCIS and are not subject to a final order of removal, must be 15 years old or older.

What about DREAMers in deportation?

An individual in the final order of deportation will have their case reviewed and may receive deferred action for 2 years. Cases are considered on an individualized basis.

Can we work?

Yes. Once you have received deferred action, you may apply for work authorization.

What about financial aid?

Even though you may apply for a social security number, deferred action does not grant a status. This means that you will not be able to apply for federal grants and may still be subject to state tuition rates.

How do I prove that I came to the States before the age of 16?

Any of the following will be sufficient: financial records, medical records, school records, employment records, and military records. These will also be sufficient when proving that you have been here 5 years prior to the announcement (June 15, 2012).

If we are eligible, should we self-deport to receive deferred action?

No. Please wait for an application to become available through USCIS.

Will this allow me to travel outside the United States?

USCIS is exploring this issue and will resolve it in the coming weeks as part of its implementation plan.

Need more information?

Please check our website at unitedwedream.org for more updates and information regarding the policy. For further questions, you may email us at info@unitedwedream.org

reflecting on the parameteres of this policy change and the range of reactions from various groups has me asking questions of my own.

how accessible will the benefits actually be?
all government paperwork is a headache waiting to happen. will there be enough guidance and support needed for qualifying individuals to move through the process in a timely manner? will there be associated costs?

is this moving us closer to an actual immigration reform?
a policy that grants (temporary) relief from deportation and the ability to work legally in this country is a quintissential band-aid if i ever saw one. having to make the case that you still deserve to remain in your home every two years is a far cry from fair treatment. especially considering the narrow parameters. our brothers and sisters who cannot prove to have been or missed being brought before the age of 16, those who cannot afford to enroll in post-secondary school, those who were unable to finish high school (please read this) because of a broken education system or have been subject to the so-called "justice" system, not to mention the many hard-working over 30 year olds... what about them? it makes me sick to think about the xenophobic attitude so many of us still operate under. let this serve as a reminder to myself and those believing in the power of Love that we must ask for forgiveness for every wall we build, every arbitrary border we fight to enforce, every time we give in to fear of the other. God, Spirit and us willing, we will see better days as the Kingdom comes and breaks down divisive policies, laws, systems and attitudes.

should obama be praised?
this is more a rhetorical question than anything else. i've got mixed feelings about fun loving barack. when it comes to politics, though, especially politics in the united states, we've got to keep un ojo al gato y otro al garbarato. stay vigilant. a high five? ok. save the party for a real victory.

moral of this story: we still have a long way to go.
roll up your sleeves, tie your shoelaces, fill up your water bottle, adelante seguimos.