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ImmigrationProf Blog
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Senator Kamala Harris Issues Immigration Policy Plan

By immigrationprof

KamalaPhoto courtesy of official Senator Kamala Harris website

As has been noted on the ImmigrationProf blog, the Democratic presidential candidates have been relatively silent on immigration.

Joining a few other Democratic presidential hopefuls, California Senator Kamala Harris has released an immigration “plan” (and here) today that would rely on executive authority to offer relief from removal for millions of undocumented immigrants.  Senator Harris promises to use executive authority to expand DACA, create a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, and reverse a number of Trump administration immigration enforcement measures.  The statement is getting considerable attention.  See here (noting that the plan reflects “creative legal thinking”), here, here, here.

Senator Harris would use the parole authority to allow DREAMers with U.S.-citizen spouses to apply for permanent residency and eventual citizenship. She also would issue a regulation that clarified that DREAMers were not at fault for their undocumented status, which has been a roadblock to permanent residency.

Senator Harris also is quoted as stating that “As president, while I fight for Congress to pass 21st century immigration reform, I won’t wait. I’ll take action to lift barriers Dreamers face to pursuing legal status and put them on a meaningful path to citizenship. These young people are just as American as I am, and they deserve a president who will fight for them from day one.”
 
KJ

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