<p>The President took executive actions that suspended deportation and granted legal status for millions of illegal immigrants yesterday.  He also made other collateral executive actions.  A summary of his actions was written by the AILA organization and is quoted as follows:</p>
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<li><strong>"Enforcement Priorities</strong><br />
<p>Many of the existing ICE memos on enforcement priorities and  prosecutorial discretion will be replaced by a new memo with three  priorities: (1) Suspected terrorists, convicted felons (including  aggravated felonies), convicted gang members, and persons apprehended on  the border; (2) Persons convicted of serious or multiple misdemeanors  and very recent border crossers (those who entered after January 1,  2014); and (3) Those who, after January 1, 2014, failed to leave under a  removal order or returned after removal. The memo will contain strong  language on the use of prosecutorial discretion.</p>
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<li><strong>Deferred Action Benefiting Approximately 4.4 Million Undocumented Individuals</strong><br />
<p>Two deferred action initiatives will be rolled out that are estimated  to benefit 4.4 million undocumented individuals: (1) Deferred Action  for Parents (DAP):  Parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent  residents (of any age) who have been continuously present since January  1, 2010, and who pass background checks and pay back taxes; and (2) DACA  Expansion: The age cap on DACA will be removed and the date when  continuous presence must have started will be changed from June 15, 2007  to January 1, 2010.  Both of these initiatives will provide deferred  action for three years. The expanded DACA should be up and running in 90  days and deferred action for parents in 180 days. Note: no initiative  specifically for parents of DACA recipients was included.</p>
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<li><strong>I-601A Waiver Expansion </strong><br />
<p>The I-601A provisional waiver will be expanded to include spouses and  children of lawful permanent residents. An expansion and clarification  of the definition of "extreme hardship" is also expected.</p>
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<li><strong>Timing of Filing for Adjustment of Status</strong><br />
<p>The ability of individuals with an approved employment-based  immigrant petition who are caught in the quota backlogs to file for  adjustment of status will be advanced to permit them to obtain the  benefits of a pending adjustment.  This is expected to impact about  410,000 people. This will be done by regulation.</p>
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<li><strong>Business Immigration Changes </strong><br />
<p>A number of business immigration improvements are to be announced.  For example, certain investors will be eligible for parole into the  U.S., or for parole-in-place, and national interest waivers could be  available for entrepreneurs, researchers, inventors, and founders. Also,  the term "same or similar" for AC-21 purposes will be clarified, L-1B  guidance will be released, the H-4 EAD regulation will be finalized, and  the length of time permitted on OPT for STEM graduates will be  expanded. Additionally, the rulemaking process will be undertaken to  modernize the PERM labor certification program and may include a  harmless error provision.</p>
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<li><strong>Visa Modernization</strong><br />
<p>There will be a Presidential Memorandum directing the various  immigration-related agencies to look at modernizing the visa system,  with a view to making optimal use of the numbers of visas available  under law. Issues such as whether derivatives should be counted towards  the visa quota and whether past unused visa numbers can be recaptured  are expected to be included in this effort.</p>
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<li><strong>State and Local</strong><br />
<p>Secure Communities will be discontinued and replaced with a new  initiative, the Priority Enforcement Program (PEP). Details are still  forthcoming on what PEP will entail, but in certain circumstances,  detainers may be replaced by requests for notification to ICE when a law  enforcement entity is about to release an individual.</p>
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<li><strong>Parole-in-Place </strong><br />
<p>Parole-in-place will be expanded to include families of individuals  trying to enlist in the armed forces, as some branches of the military  ban applicants who have undocumented family members."</p>
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