Change in immigration policy draws criticism, support from state lawmakers

The Obama administration announced last week there would be a shift in its immigration policy. The policy pushes for deportation for individuals with criminal records and would allow for prosecutorial discretion when reviewing individual cases.

In a June 17 memo sent by John Morton, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Obama stated: “Because the agency is confronted with more administrative violations that its resources can address, the agency must regularly exercise “prosecutorial discretion” if it is to prioritize its efforts.”

Morton said the discretion carried a “broad range” and listed 19 factors such as a person’s length in the U.S., their education status, immediate relatives that have served in the U.S. military, and a person’s criminal history.

In the past year, the U.S. has arrested nearly 394,000 people that were in the United States without permission. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 50 percent were considered to be criminal and included those that had traffic violations, broken immigration laws, and recorded incidents of driving under the influence.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer took opposition to the policy, calling it “back door amnesty” and said it was a political move by President Obama as campaigns have begun for the 2012 presidential election.

“Over the next 15 months, I’m certain we’ll hear a lot of talk from the Obama administration about its concern for border security,” Brewer said in a released statement.

“Those of us who truly care for the rule of law will remember the president’s actions,” Brewer said. “We need to remind President Obama that we elected a president that serves beneath the law and did not anoint a king that is above the law.”

State Sen. Steve Smith (R-Maricopa) agreed that the new policy was wrong.

“It's a shame,” Smith said. “It's a slap in the face to every legal immigrant that's done it the right way. They took a major problem and rewarded those that have broken the law. It's a travesty and the American people should feel the same way about it.”