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How the new deportation procedures affect you

In a victory for the immigration movement, the Obama administration recently announced major changes to the deportation process. These procedural changes could protect thousands of immigrants – DREAMers, veterans, seniors, and spouses – from having their families torn apart. This is a huge step in the right direction toward our goal: humane, comprehensive immigration reform. Learn more about these changes, and use these tools to educate your community.

Here are the 10 things you should know about DHS's announcement

A project of RI4A and FIRM

  1. 1All 300,000 current deportation cases will be reviewed. All 300,000 cases currently in deportation proceedings will be reviewed by senior DHS officials. Immigration judges and ICE trial attorneys will also be reviewing their cases on a daily and weekly basis to make sure that any case that goes forward is consistent with DHS enforcement priorities.
  2. 2“Low-priority” cases will be removed from DHS case log. This announcement is DHS’s attempt to “unclog” the deportation case log by removing “low-priority” cases in order to focus on "high-priority" individuals who pose serious dangers to our communities and our country.
  3. 3“High-priority” cases include those that pose a serious threat to national security. “High-priority” individuals include, but are not limited to, those who pose a serious threat to national security, are serious felons and repeat offenders, are known gang members, or have a record of repeated immigration violations.
  4. 4“Low-priority” cases include DREAMers, veterans, pregnant women. “Low-priority” individuals include, but are not limited to, veterans; long-time, lawful residents; DREAMers and others brought to the US as children; pregnant women; victims of domestic abuse and other serious crimes; and spouses, including LGBT spouses.
  5. 5DHS will send letters stating some cases are administratively “closed.” Individuals in deportation proceedings who are deemed “low-priority” will get a letter from DHS stating their case has been administratively “closed”.
  6. 6Those whose cases are closed can apply for a work permit program. Those whose cases are closed can apply for a work permit program, yet to be established. Decisions about work permits will be made on a case-by-case basis. Undocumented immigrants not in deportation proceedings cannot seek work permits.
  7. 7You should not attempt to be placed into deportation proceedings. Individuals SHOULD NOT attempt to be placed in deportation proceedings by getting arrested or detained or turning yourself in in order to apply for a work permit.
  8. 8Closed cases will not reviewed or deported in the future. If implemented properly, these individuals will not be placed into deportation proceedings in the future so long as this policy is in place.
  9. 9The announcement does not change programs such as Secure Communities. The announcement does not change harmful anti-immigrant programs such as 287g and Secure Communities.
  10. 10This is not “back-door amnesty.” This is not “back-door amnesty”, nor a path to citizenship, as our opponents will claim. This is a procedural change in the implementation of DHS’s enforcement policies to target only those who pose serious threats to the US and those with long criminal records.
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