WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Are you ready for even more Congressional criticism of the Obama administration? The White House is crafting plans surrounding a rule change to help reduce the time illegal immigrant spouses and children are separated from citizen relatives while they try to win legal status in the United States, a senior administration official said Thursday.
Currently, illegal immigrants must leave the country before they can ask the government to waive a three- to 10-year ban on legally coming back to the U.S. The length of the ban depends on how long they have lived in the U.S. without permission. The L.A. Times has more:
…Obama is attempting unilateral steps meant to bring about what he sees as an immigration system that is fairer and less destructive to families.
The proposal is likely to win plaudits from a crucial constituency in the 2012 election: Latinos.
Obama won two-thirds of the Latino vote in 2008, and he needs this fast-growing constituency energized and excited about his reelection.
(Related: Obama Administration Launches Free Hotline for Suspected Illegal Immigrants)
The official said the new rule would let children and spouses of citizens ask the government to decide on the waiver request before the illegal immigrant heads to his or her home country to apply for a visa. The illegal immigrants still must go home to finish the visa process to come back to the U.S., but getting the waiver ahead of time could reduce the time an illegal immigrant is out of the country.
