President Obama’s immigration reform initiatives will benefit many Guyanese and Caribbean citizens

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,

I applaud President Barack Obama for the bold reforms to the nation’s broken immigration system, albeit temporary.

Immigration reform does not only impact our Latino brothers and sisters. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the Caribbean, South America and Africa now qualify for relief from the threat of deportation and will become eligible for lawful employment.

Almost all undocumented immigrants from the Caribbean and Guyana enter the United States lawfully, but overstayed their visas and thus are out of status. A large percent has children and/or spouses who are either US citizens or permanent residents.

Thousands more arrived before their 16th birthday, but are ineligible for DACA because they are currently above age 31. They have all lived here for a long time “decades in some cases”, and are law abiding. America is their home.

They deserve a shot at the American dream. Thanks to President Obama’s initiates, they can now emerge from the shadows to pursue that dream, once they pass a criminal background check and pay any back taxes accrued.

This is a historic day for America : “A nation of immigrants”. Millions of families will remain united and millions of people will without fear begin to contribute to society and the US treasury. Economists forecast that this could boost GDP by over $1 trillion.

Republicans are not only opposing President Obama. They are attacking the relatives of millions of US citizens who vote, as well as millions of US permanent residents who will soon become voters.

When these millions of Americans go to the polls to exercise their franchise, they will remember who stood with them and fought to keep their families united and who fought to tear their families and the nation apart!

Submitted by

Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy

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