Government to Announce Details of Deferred-Action Program for Young Illegal Immigrants

The Citizenship and Immigration Services agency will announce on Friday the steps young illegal immigrants will need to take to apply for a temporary reprieve from deportation under the federal government's new deferred action program.

Agency Director Alejandro Mayaorkas and other senior Homeland Security Department officials will hold a teleconference at 2 p.m. to give an overview of how people can apply for temporary stay in the U.S., according to a press release from the agency.

With less than two weeks left for young undocumented immigrants to submit their applications for deferred action, advocacy groups around the country have hosted webinars, town hall meetings, and special seminars to inform these immigrants and their families of the basic qualifications.

Applicants must have lived in the U.S. for at least five years be under the age of 30, and either be honorably discharged from the military or have a high school diploma. An applicant cannot have a criminal background or pose a threat to national security or public safety — meaning that violent criminals, felons, and repeat immigration offenders will not qualify.

(RELATED STORY: Cost for Immigration Program at $585 Million.)

One nonprofit, OneAmerica, is hosting forums in 10 cities this month in the state of Washington. Other workshops are in New York, Texas, and Georgia. One organiztion, United We Dream, teamed up with the Mexican Embassy to help young people process their Mexican passports, birth certificates, and other documents they may need to apply for temporary work permits.