WASHINGTON — As undocumented immigrants prepare to apply for President Barack Obama’s new deportation relief programs, they’re also facing a barrage of concerning news. House Republicans voted to end the policies. Senate Republicans are aiming to do the same. Twenty-six states sued the federal government, hoping to block Obama’s programs from going into effect, and the House is considering filing a suit as well.
It’s enough to make some undocumented immigrants nervous — and some advocates think that’s the intention. Their goal now is to convince immigrants that it’s safe to come forward.
“The lawsuits and legislation are partly about scaring immigrants into not coming forward and partly about pandering to the deportation-only wing of the Republican party,” Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said in an emailed statement. He added, “The law is clearly on the president’s side, and I think the courts will agree.”
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Laura Vazquez, an immigration legislative analyst for the National Council of La Raza, said the community-based organizations the group works for are seeing a lot of interest in the executive actions, but also some concerns. She said they are trying to communicate that it’s safe to apply for executive action.
NCLR sent an email from Vazquez to its network earlier this month: “Don’t be afraid; this bill is not a law and applications for administrative relief will be coming out in the next few months. Don’t let these recent actions deter you from preparing to apply for relief.”
