NEWS & EVENTS

THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS!
On December 8, 2011, ILAP volunteers, Pro Bono Panel members and staff enjoyed an evening of appreciation in honor of our many dedicated volunteers. Congratulations to our Volunteer of the Year award recipients:

Pro Bono Firm: Drummond Woodsum
Pro Bono Attorney: Jack Montgomery
Development Volunteer: Kathy DeGrandpre
Forms Volunteer: Jane Makela
Intake Volunteer: Lu Gallaudet
Community Volunteer: Leslie Merril

WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN DEPORTATION POLICY
On August 18, 2011, the White House announced changes to the Department of Homeland Security’s deportation policy. This announcement came in a letter from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

According to the White House, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will focus its limited resources on "high priority" cases for removal ("deportation") including those with a criminal history and those who pose a threat to the security of the United States. ICE may chose to give low priority to some cases, including children who might be eligible for the Dream Act if it is passed, those in the military, and other humanitarian cases.

It is important to note that this policy is not an amnesty or a change in the law and does not provide a new avenue for obtaining legal status.

The current immigration court dockets will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether ICE should close a particular case. ICE continues to have the authority, as it has in the past, to grant deferred action or parole to someone whose case is closed or to someone they choose not to place in removal proceedings. Those granted deferred action or parole will be given temporary permission to remain in the United States and may apply for employment authorization. But this does not lead to permanent legal status.

The White House announcement gives no guarantees that ICE will agree to close every low priority case or that they will be granting deferred action or employment authorization in any particular case.

So far, no guidelines or procedures have been provided to instruct local immigration offices or prosecutors on how to implement this new policy. While immigration practitioners across the country are using this policy announcement to advocate on behalf of their clients, they are also cautious in the absence of any clear indication of how widely the prosecutorial discretion will be used or what the guidelines will be.

STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL ILAP NEWS:
1. Sign up for e-newsletters and Action Alerts
2. Like us on Facebook
3. Follow us on Twitter
4. Read the Immigrant Beacon