I have a lot of empathy and compassion for people in unfortunate circumstances - one cannot survive working in healthcare without those instincts.

However...compassion and reason aren't mutually exclusive. Justice (the current immigration laws) determines that these individuals be returned to their countries of origin. Compassion dictates that some exceptions (discretion) be made. How can this be done?

By revising immigration law - and from the revised law perspective it will seem unjust to deport them back. There is nothing that makes it impossible to revise ill-conceived, bad laws. Politicians have not a problem revising, rewriting and enacting new laws when the beneficiaries are CORPORATION$$$. It will only affect CIR negatively if we follow the sheep mentality and is the case when one person says something and everyone else sorts of nods and goes along 'yeah'...you know the drill.

Edit: Politicians don't have a problem revising, rewriting and enacting new laws expediently for corporations.