So far the President’s plan is very general, but I will share what is available. The big thing is that people who have been in the US for five (5) years or more and have US citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident children may quality for “deferred action”. Deferred Action is a promise not to deport them for “three years at a time” and the issuance of a work permit. This does not provide a Green Card, and it is up to Congress or the next president what happens in three years. Interestingly, this does not apply to the parents of “DACA children”, although there is an expansion of DACA. On these two issues the White House’s “Fact Sheet” says the following:
“DHS is establishing a new deferred action program for parents of U.S. Citizens or LPRs who are not enforcement priorities and have been in the country for more than 5 years. Individuals will have the opportunity to request temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for three years at a time if they come forward and register, submit biometric data, pass background checks, pay fees, and show that their child was born before the date of this announcement. By providing individuals with an opportunity to come out of the shadows and work legally, we will also help crack down on companies who hired undocumented workers, which undermines the wages of all workers, and ensure that individuals are playing by the rules and paying their fair share of taxes.
Expanding DACA to cover additional DREAMers. Under the initial DACA program, young people who had been in the U.S. for at least five years, came as children, and met specific education and public safety criteria were eligible for temporary relief from deportation so long as they were born after 1981 and entered the country before June 15, 2007. DHS is expanding DACA so that individuals who were brought to this country as children can apply if they entered before January 1, 2010, regardless of how old they are today. Going forward, DACA relief will also be granted for three years.”