On His Own: President to Take Executive Action on Immigration

by John Michaelson/TNS

SAN JUAN, Texas – Residents across Texas and the nation will be watching closely tonight as President Barack Obama unveils his plans to reform immigration on his own, a move that could prevent the deportation of millions.

At La Union del Pueblo Entero in San Juan, the advocacy group’s communications coordinator, John-Michael Torres, says it’s hoped that the president’s executive actions will include allowing the undocumented parents of American citizens to stay in the U.S. with their families.

“I think that in general, immigrants are seen as kind of like these shadowy figures that are sneaking into the border, but in reality most have deep ties to the United States,” he states. “And we want people to be able to get a work permit and a temporary reprieve from deportation.”

After tonight’s announcement from the White House, Obama will travel to Las Vegas on Friday to visit the high school where he first laid out his principals for comprehensive immigration reform two years ago.

Torres says he’s also hopeful that the president will extend protections for low-wage workers and farm workers.

“People who do the necessary work that a lot of people that are natives to this country don’t want to do, that won’t do, but they’re doing it,” he says. “They’re working hard. They’re putting food on our tables and they should receive some sort of protections.”

The coming executive actions have been heavily criticized by leading Republicans, who say potential congressional action will be sidetracked by this unilateral action.

But Torres says the struggles over immigration reform have been going on for years and it’s time.

“We’ve been trying to work on getting something passed, but it’s been obstacle after obstacle and every day that passes, more and more of our families are separated because of deportation and really that suffering needs to stop,” he says.