This only affects immediate relatives of U.S citizens and permanent residents - those not subject to the visa numerical limits.

To qualify:

You have to be married to a citizen or be a child of a citizen under age 21. And show "extreme" hardship. Wait times for waivers and visas will be weeks rather than months, assuming you meet the extreme hardship standard.

Again, not really great news for those who aren't married (to citizens) or are aged 21 and over, in the case of a citizen parent. From the same NYTimes article: "White House officials are resigned to the fact that there will most likely be no progress before the November elections on immigration legislation that President Obama supports that would give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants". Not real help to most of the 10 million people waiting for a bit of good luck.

P.S. This proposed regulation and rulemaking change was written in that "Alternatives to Immigration Reform" memo from USCIS and DSH almost two years ago. It was to have been done in fiscal year 2010 with the final rule published by June of last year. The delay is pure gamesmanship from Obama to plot his re-election.

http://www.propublica.org/documents/...gration-reform