Obama Is About To Take Massive Immigration Action ‘Far Scarier Than Anyone Could Have Imagined’

The Obama administration has announced yet another attempt to use executive power to expand immigration without seeking congressional authorization.

The Hill reports that when Homeland Security Jeh Johnson rolled out the so-called “executive amnesty” plan last November, one of the changes mentioned was vaguely titled, “Modernizing the Employment-Based Immigrant Visa System.” The program is aimed at helping the tech industry to get workers from overseas. 

“But a secret memo recently leaked on an immigration law blog now reveals that this ‘modernization’ plan will not only fast-track hundreds of thousands of work permits to employment visa-applicants in violation of longstanding U.S. worker protection laws, but will enable hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens to also receive work permits despite their unlawful status,” according to The Hill. 

Under the current system, guest workers in the United States who wish to stay on permanently must arrange with their employers to “sponsor” them by filing a I-140 application, so the workers can get in line for a green card. If their status is changed to permanent resident alien, they receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) green card, which allows them to work anywhere in the country and makes them eligible to apply for government benefits.

The line is long, and obtaining a green card can take years. Under the new Obama administration plan, anyone who has an approved I-140 application that has been approved for a year can get a green card.

“This action will be a major encouragement to come here by any means possible, with a likely surge of thousands of EAD applications hitting an already backlogged USCIS [United States Citizenship and Immigration Services] in the first week alone. For the weak labor market faced by most American workers, it’ll be like a dam bursting,” The Hill reports.

The move is supported by tech companies who often prefer to hire foreign workers. The proposed change lessens administrative costs in keeping the workers in country.

Illegal aliens will also be able to take advantage of the program because the only requirement for filing an I-140 is an official ID. Proving lawful presence in the country is not a prerequisite.

Unlike Obama’s “executive amnesty” program, which has been put on hold by a federal court, the change in obtaining green card status is going through the normal regulatory process for implementation. The comment period is still open.

The number of illegal immigrants the Obama administration has been deporting has steadily been declining in recent years.