INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRANTS FOUNDATION

Power of Discretion

By, Edward Juarez
Immigrant's Voice (TV program) 
Column: September 18, 2006.                                                                     

                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           Edward Juarez
                                                                                                                                                                    Fundador y Presidente

From 1996, the United States has promulgated immigration acts that in their implementation reveal that there is no difference between the treatment legal residents and undocumented people receive. The anti-terrorists acts, the Patriot Act, the Real Id Act, and the DNA Fingerprint Act, affirm that all immigrants are inadmissible to reside in the country if they have committed a criminal violation and have been convicted to at least a year and a day of prison, or for three misdemeanors. These Acts are recognized as the most severe measures adopted by the American government to stop illegal immigration, cut public benefits to legal residents and penalize any immigrant that has committed a crime with an anti-terrorist initiative.

Regardless, for the first time in history, close to 5% of the American population are here undocumented, and it is a great preoccupation to our elected officials who are trying to find a mechanism that would protect our country from terrorist that don’t discriminate.

For this reason, thousands of new Immigration agents have been assigned to protect our borders and the most powerful weapon has been assign to them: the “power of discretion” to accept or deport immediately any immigrant that has entered illegally, or with a visa and has violated the intention for which it was originally issued.

Keep in mind my five essential points, in any relation or procedure with the United States government: 1 – your intention; 2 – your good faith; 3 – admissibility according to current law; 4 – preparation and presentation of all documentation and 5- the power of discretion that all Immigration officials, customs, and of course judges have.