ImmigrationUndocumented immigrants begin application process as Congressional impasse continues

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus met last week to praise President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration and to assure millions of undocumented immigrants that Republicans would not succeed in blocking those orders. Since Obama announced last November that he intends to defer deportation for at least three years for qualifyed undocumented immigrants who are parents of children living in the United States, Republican lawmakers have criticized the administration and tried to halt implementation of the order by refusing to fund DHS beyond 27 February unless Senate Democrats agree to support a DHS spending bill that removes support for deferred deportation. Senate Democrats are now filibustering that Republican-backed legislation.

NBC News reports that some Democratic lawmakers are also advising immigrant communities on how to apply for deferred deportation programs. “Leader Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership are encouraging members to do events,” said Jorge Aguilar, a spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California).

Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) rebuked Republicans for encouraging deportation of undocumented immigrants who do not pose a threat to national security or public safety. “We are very hopeful and working hard towards resolving the issue of immigration, working with the administration on its new executive action to make sure that it’s implemented properly. But what we’re facing is a strong headwind from the new Republican Congress, who are doing every single thing that they can to make it harder for Hispanics and Latinos and other Americans to succeed,” Castro said last week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has asked House Republicans to draft and pass a new bill that Senate Democrats would accept, but House leaders have denied that request. “We did our work to make sure the Department of Homeland Security is fully funded while also defying the president’s unconstitutional executive action on immigration,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) said last Friday.

“One more time: The House has done its job under the Constitution. It’s time for the Senate to do their job,” said House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), adding that “Senate Democrats are the ones standing in the way, they’re the ones jeopardizing funding, why don’t they get on the bill or offer an amendment, offer their ideas.”

In response to Boehner’s comments, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) on Sunday said Boehner was misreading the political optics of his maneuvering. “When Speaker Boehner tied immigration to DHS funding he knew exactly what he was doing, saying, ‘Unless I get my way, I’m going to shut down a large part of the government,’” said Schumer. “To now blame Democrats when members of his own party, conservative leaders and others, have all asked him to back off this game of chicken is disingenuous at best.”

While Congress remains in a stalemate on DHS funding and immigration reform, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, on Wednesday, will begin accepting applications from those eligible for an expanded program granting work permits and deportation deferrals to undocumented immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children (DREAMers). “Prepárense, prepárense (Get ready, get ready) because the opportunity that the president of the U.S. made possible is coming,” Representative Xavier Becerra (D-California), chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said last week.