"We would support a grant of deferred action to all young people who meet the rigorous requirements necessary to be eligible for cancellation of removal or a stay of removal under the DREAM Act, as requested on a bipartisan basis by Senators Durbin and Lugar last April. We strongly believe that DREAM Act students should not be removed from the United States, because they have great potential to contribute to our country . . .
"We would also support steps short of this that you can take to establish a more orderly and consistent process for handling individual DREAM Act cases."
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Letter from DHS secretary Janet Napolitano in response to the letter from 22 senators (PDF) (Aug. 18, 2011). "Together with [DOJ], we have initiated an interagency working group to execute a case-by-case review of all individuals currently in removal proceedings to ensure that they constitute our highest priorities. The working group will also initiate a case-by-case review to ensure that new cases placed in removal proceedings similarly meet such priorities. In addition, the working group will issue guidance on how to provide for appropriate discretionary consideration to be given to compelling cases involving a final order of removal."
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Background: Implementing an Effective Immigration Enforcement Strategy (PDF) (Aug. 18, 2011). This document was released, as an "enclosure," with Sec. Napolitano's letter of Aug. 18, 2011.
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Durbin Lauds Obama Administration Announcement on DREAM Act Deportation Cases (Aug. 18, 2011). Senator Durbin's response to Sec. Napolitano's letter of Aug. 18, 2011. Sen. Durbin (D-IL & assistant Senate majority leader) is a primary author and champion of the DREAM Act.
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National Immigration Law Center news release and statement (Aug. 18, 2011). NILC's response to Sec. Napolitano's letter of Aug. 18, 2011.
