Proposed Obama Policy Change Would Impact Local Families

A new policy being considered by the Obama administration will be good for local families, the Idaho Community Action Network says.

The proposed rule change would reduce the time illegal immigrant spouses and children are separated from their American relatives while they try to gain legal status in the United States.

Currently, many illegal immigrants must leave the country before they can ask the government to waive a three- to 10-year ban on coming back.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday the change would let children and spouses ask the government to decide on a waiver request before they head to their home countries to apply for visas to return.

Mayorkas says the change would reduce family separations to days or weeks, from months.

?Keeping families together is one of our greatest values in this country, and the Obama administration is moving in a positive direction to ease the difficulties that our families face on a daily basis,? said Alicia Clements, board member of the Idaho Community Action Network. ?Families should not be torn apart because of our broken immigration system. This proposal gets rid of unnecessary red tape, and instead it focuses on family unity.?

ICAN said the policy change would help families like Miguel and Lorena Reyes of Idaho Falls. Miguel Reyes had to go back to Mexico in August 2011 to apply for his waiver. He is still waiting for it. Meanwhile, Lorena Reyes, a U.S. citizen, is working to maintain a normal family life for the couple?s two-year-old daughter, Ruth.

?This immigration process has been so stressful and devastating for me and my family,? said Lorena Reyes, who was quoted by ICAN in a news release. ?Our life is on hold, our family?s future is on hold as we wait for his visa to be approved. I am struggling financially and also suffering emotionally, and so is our daughter. I want my husband to come back home now to wait for his waiver.?

ICAN says it hopes the policy is extended to immigrants with lawful permanent resident status.

Congressional Republicans have repeatedly criticized the Obama administration for making policy changes they describe as amnesty to illegal immigrants.