ImmigrationAdministrations temporarily waives some immigration measures in wake of Hurricane Sandy

The Obama administration has waived immigration laws for illegal immigrants now in the United States, saying that the immigrants’ ability to maintain their lawful status or collect benefits has been effected by Hurricane Sandy.

The Washington Times reports that the administrations said that “eligible individuals” may apply for relief measures including extensions of non-immigrant status for immigrants even though their authorized period of admission has expired.

This measure will provide relief for immigrants, but some people are not happy with it. Janice Kephart, a former counsel to the 9/11 commission, says that the death, loss, and disaster that Hurricane Sandy created is severe, but “not one of these issues pertaining to natural disaster has anything whatsoever to do with immigration or immigration benefits.”

“The latest in Obama orders is just another in a long, now-expected litany of excuses to achieve amnesty, person by person, across the illegal alien community,” Kephart, who is director of national security policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, told the Times. “Meanwhile, our borders remain insecure, and after decades of no Border Patrol deaths, as of last week in Texas, this administration has three law enforcement deaths on its hands. This administration is about what it can do for the illegal population, and not much else.”

Tom Fitton, president of the Washington D.C.-based conservative Judicial Watch, said the decision is a final political stand for president Obama, saying the president is attempting to protect his “core constituency of illegal aliens” before the election.

Fitton told theTimes the Obama administration is using Hurricane Sandy “as an excuse to waive immigration laws capitalizing on any opportunity to grant illegal aliens amnesty.”

As a result of the storm, DHS’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will extend re-parole immigrants who were previously granted parole, and provide other benefits to students who are immigrants. The agency will also help residents who are stranded overseas without immigration or travel documents.

According to Judicial Watch, a federal audit conducted earlier this year stated DHS has taken action against just a “small portion” of the estimated 4-5.5 million foreigners who have stayed in the U.S. despite their visas expiring.

Fitton told the Times that “USCIS is also extending ‘non-immigrant status’ for individuals, even when the request is filed after the authorization period of admission has expired. This rewards those who have blown off federal immigration laws.”