PART TWO OF SERIES: THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ONIMMIGRATION REFORM
HILLARY CLINTON
HillaryClinton’s website highlights eight key pieces of her immigration proposals.
1. ComprehensiveImmigration Reform (CIR) – Ms. Clinton promises to introduce CIR, including apathway to US Citizenship, within the first 100 days of her presidency.
2. Endthe Three/Ten Year Bar – Under current immigration law, those who overstay theend-date on their I-94 card by six months to a year are barred from returningto the US or applying for any type of visa for three years. Those who overstay by more than a year arebarred from returning to the US or applying for a visa for ten years. Ms. Clinton seeks eliminate this penalty.
3. DefendDACA and DAPA – President Obama’s Executive Action created the DACA and DAPAprograms. These programs allowindividuals who were brought to the US as children or have US Citizen childrento apply for a stay of deportation and work authorization. Most recently, the US Supreme Court’s 4-4tied decision left in place an appeals court ruling which blocked these programs. Ms. Clinton believes these programs arewithin the President’s authority and intends to continue fighting for theirimplementation.
4. ExpandDeferred Action – A grant of Deferred Action is essentially a promise on thepart of the US government not to deport the grantee. Ms. Clinton intends to expand Deferred Actionfor those with sympathetic cases, for example: those with a history of serviceand contribution to their communities or those who experience extreme laborviolations.
5. EnforceImmigration Laws Humanely – Secretary Clinton states immigration enforcementshould be humane, targeted, and effective. Ms. Clinton wants to focus enforcement resources on detaining anddeporting individuals who are a threat to public safety.
6. EndFamily Detention – Ms. Clinton plans to end the detention of parents andchildren who arrive in the US fleeing desperate circumstances. Secretary Clinton also intends to close allprivate (non-government) immigration detention centers.
7. ExpandHealth Insurance Coverage for Immigrant Families – Secretary Clinton wants toallow individuals of any immigration status to purchase health insurance on theAffordable Care Act (Obamacare) Exchanges.
8. PromoteNaturalization – Ms. Clinton will expand fee waivers, increase English-languageproficiency programs, and boost outreach and education to encourage individualsto apply for Naturalization.
Please note this post summarizesonly the points available on Secretary Clinton’s website regarding immigrationreform. Speeches, interviews, or othermaterials are not captured here.