After Obama’s Deferred Action program went into action this summer, it sent state governments scrambling to come up with a stance on immigration. While some states have welcomed the new ordinance and will provide benefits to the men and women who qualify, other states like Mississippi are not so keen. In fact, the Mississippi governor Phil Bryant is the latest governor to declare that state agencies should not provide public benefits to the illegal immigrants who are given a two year deferral. The statute reinforces already existing state laws, but was reissued as a reminder and a stoic statement about where Mississippi lies when it comes to immigration.
In a recent letter, the governor of Texas, Rick Perry, announced that he believed that the Obama administration’s new policy is a “slap in the face to the rule of law” and that he would not change the Texan policies regarding the border state. Because Texas touches Mexico, the citizens often have to deal with drug smuggling from the border and illegal immigration. In South Texas the border patrols are vigilant in catching illegal citizens who try to cross the border on foot, in cars, or even hiding in the beds of trucks and such.
In Arizona, the state government has also announced that Obama’s deferred action program won’t affect their stance on immigration law. The state will now allow men and women who are undocumented to apply for a drivers’ license, and they cannot have other state benefits as well. Nebraska has also joined the ranks with the deferred action opponents, and will not allow immigrants to obtain state benefits whether or not they qualify for deferred action.
The deferred action program allows illegal immigrants who came to the states with their parents before they were 16 to apply for protection. Those who qualify will be free to live in the United States for two years before they will need to renew their application. During their two years of deferred action, these men and women can work, study, and live in the United States without any fear of potential deportation.
While the statute is an overwhelming blessing to many who have traveled to America from other countries, some states are not too happy about the law. In Mississippi, the state is considering tightening their immigration policies in response to the law. In addition to refusing state benefits, they have debated allowing law officers to check people’s immigration status during traffic stops. This is a provision that is enacted in Arizona and Alabama, two states known for their ruthless illegal alien policies.
If police officers had the right to check a person’s immigration status at any traffic stop or whenever the driver is pulled over, then it could lead to more deportations. Anyone that is not under 30 and is not protected by deferred action could be sent back to their homeland if they fail to produce the needed documentation in court. Immigrants argue that this statute would disrupt the peace in the state, and cause many illegal aliens constant worry. Some legal citizens argue that the state needs to take more drastic action then they already have. Under Obama’s new policy, immigrants can apply for work permits if they qualify for the deferred action.
Yet denying illegal immigrants the right to a drivers license will certainly be a detour, and may cause them to hold off on getting a job. Unless offices are near a public transportation stop, many illegal immigrants won’t be able to drive to and from work. If you are a recipient of deferred action in Mississippi and believe that you are being treated unjustly, or have been sent to court with the possibility of deportation because of you immigrant status then talk to an immigration lawyer right away and start developing defense for your case!