Immigration advocates welcome policy shift
BY CARY ASPINWALL World Staff Writer
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Read stories of those who would be affected by the policy change.
The Rev. Leonard Busch’s
cell phone began ringing at 3
a.m. Friday.
Word had gotten out that
the Obama administration
was going to announce a
policy shift that would stop
deportations and grant work
permits to illegal immigrants
who came to the U.S. as children
and have since led lawabiding
lives.
“Pastor, you’ve got to call
me — this is life changing,”
one young woman said in her
voicemail.
“The excitement and
hopefulness ... was tangible,”
Busch said.
Tina Peña, adviser to
DREAM Act Oklahoma, a
group of students and allies
who advocate for a path to
citizenship as part of immigration
reform, said it’s a
policy change that will give
immigrants hope.
“When you give hope to
young people, they are going
to do their best to ... continue
their education,” she said.
“This will allow those who
have good moral character
and those who’ve achieved
something to continue doing
so. And Oklahoma will get a
talented, bilingual, bicultural
work force."
Busch has been involved
with DREAM Act Oklahoma
for several years, and
works with many immigrant
families in his role as senior
pastor at Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church in Tulsa.
He sees excitement among
young students who the
change will impact — but
questions remain, he said.
“I see it as the tantalizing
opening of a door that may
well close again in November,”
Busch said. “Hopefully
it continues (beyond the fall
elections), and they’ll be able
to achieve their potential.
But it’s still not a settled matter,
as to what happens in the
long term. It’s still not a path
toward citizenship."
Cary Aspinwall 918-581-8477
cary.aspinwall@tulsaworld.com
