Will we see Executive Action from Obama next week?

The political winds of immigration keep shifting. It is rather hard to keep track. The question of the moment is this: will President Obama announce executive actions on immigration reform next week?

A week or two ago, there were news reports that Obama will make announcements immediately after Labor Day weekend. But as the weekend is about to pass us by, the current reports suggest that he may be delaying announcements. Which will it be?

Reports suggest that the White House has not only been meeting with immigrant advocacy organizations but also business organizations. That indicates the White House is indeed researching options and understanding its limits of possible actions. I have no reason to believe there will not be executive action.

The question of when is now imperative. People have been waiting for years for immigration reform. When it became clear immigration reform is dead because Congress will simply not act, President Obama did say he will act alone. That is indeed a promise the people are holding him to.

But as time nears the announcement- what may be giving the President second thoughts? The midterm elections. The GOP threat to shutdown government. Oh, did I miss a threat of impeachment too? Whichever way you look at this, Obama is in a difficult position.

Deferred action is current law. If executive action is announced, it will be expanding the criteria of people that can be eligible for its use. But let it be clear- it is not giving a green card or permanent residency. Only Congress can do that. Obama will not be doing anything illegal.

So, let Obama do something positive for the country. The country needs it and it is time.

About Author

Tahmina Watson is an immigration attorney and founder of Watson Immigration Law in Seattle Washington. She was a practicing barrister in London, UK, before immigrating to the United States herself. While her practice includes family-based and employment-based immigration, she has a strong focus on immigrant entrepreneurs and start-up companies. She can be contacted at tahmina@watsonimmigrationlaw.com. You can visit www.watsonimmigrationlaw.com to learn about Tahmina and her practice.

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