About 4,500 immigrants spared deportation
Oct 12, 2012, 9:03 PM
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration has approved more 4,500 young illegal immigrants for a program to let them stay in the United States and get a work permit.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Friday about 180,000 people have applied for the administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program announced this summer. As of Wednesday, 4,591 applications had been approved. Those people will also get permission to work.
To date, no applications have been rejected but Homeland Security officials said it could take at least two months after an application is received for it to be declined. If more information is need from an applicant, the process could take even longer.
The government started accepting applications on Aug. 15 and it had been expected that final decisions could take several months. DHS has said the time to approve applications is expected to slow in coming months.
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