Will DREAMER’S Immigration Status Be Changed Without Immigration Reform?

Miami, FL (Law Firm Newswire) December 8, 2014 – The political pendulum, largely based on voter opinion, is once again swinging away from the idea of helping illegal immigrants achieve citizenship.

A recent poll by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal tallied that only 53 percent of Americans are in favor of immigration reform – a stark drop from a 64 percent approval rating in April of 2013.

“A public change in opinion on immigration reform is not unusual. However, it is disappointing, given the momentum of the last couple of years to accomplish reform,” indicated Miami immigration attorney Larry Rifkin. It becomes clearer with each passing day that the drop in approval rating was also a major reason why Obama initially backed away from executive action to move immigration reform forward and why Congress has refused to act at all.

Trying to please all sides of the immigration reform issue has had a drastic impact on immigrants in Florida and across the nation. DREAMERs would know all about the anticipation of citizenship, as they were granted temporary legal status under the deferred action program in 2012. They are now in a nightmarish limbo. Is the temporary status ever going to be permanent? If immigration reform were actually passed, the issue may be addressed, but no one seems to have a ready answer for this tricky conundrum.

What is readily apparent is that, once again, immigration reform is going to be a political football, tossed around the Hill at the whim of politicians trying to please every voter – a decidedly difficult task. Over the last four years, just about every politician has changed sides on this issue more times than they can count. Do party members on both sides even recall what they stand for when it comes to immigration reform? Action is needed to make reform more than a byline in the latest editorial.

“Living with an uncertain future like this is difficult for immigrants. Are they going to be allowed citizenship? Will the temporary status be revoked? If it is revoked, what does that mean for the DREAMERs? Will they be deported? While Obama was trying for fairness when he signed the program into being, there is no guarantee it will remain in effect even while his executive action moves forward – a potentially devastating blow to the thousands who applied for temporary status,” Rifkin explained.