Obama administration stops work on immigrant program

dtrt09 · 06-09-2015, 05:02 PM

If 'advocates' claim that we're on the path to winning this on the merits, and the merits hearing is a month away, I find it troublesome that preparations would cease for the executive actions to proceed.

Quote:

A series of legal setbacks have halted the government’s intensive preparations to move forward with President Obama’s executive actions shielding millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, even as community organizations continue a rapid push to get ready for the programs, according to U.S. officials and immigrant advocacy groups.

Since a federal judge first blocked the new programs in February, the Department of Homeland Security has suspended plans to hire up to 3,100 new employees, most of whom would be housed in an 11-story building the government has leased for $7.8 million a year in Arlington, Va. That building, in the Crystal City area, is now sitting mostly unused, DHS employees say.

...“It’s kind of come to a screeching halt,’’ said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, which helps immigrants with legal and other issues. She said the Obama administration “is being very cautious. . . . They feel that injunction was very clear, that they’re not able to do anything.”

In the Washington area, CASA — a Maryland-based immigrant advocacy group — is continuing the DAPA informational sessions it has been holding in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware since Obama’s announcement in November.

At first, “hundreds and hundreds upon hundreds” of people showed up, said George Escobar, CASA’s senior director of human services. Since then, he said, “obviously interest has waned a little” amid frustration over the legal setbacks.

“Our job is to keep people motivated,” added Escobar, who believes it is “highly likely” that DAPA will survive the court challenge. “We will continue to prepare for it,” he said.

Full article: http://wpo.st/3t7L0