The national debate regarding President Obama’s executive order on immigration has been focused on Latinos living in the United States. The order does not, however, only affect immigrants from south of our border. The executive order that temporarily allows certain undocumented immigrants from being deported is for all immigrants including those from Asia and Africa. USA Today reports that the new immigration order won’t just benefit Hispanic immigrants, but also those from countries such as China, India, Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Therefore, if you are an immigrant living here in the United States, you should look into how the executive order affects you and your family, no matter where you are originally from. There are roughly 11 million immigrants in the United States who are undocumented. The executive action does not help all of them avoid deportation, but it could protect millions from deportation. According to The Migration Policy Institute, there are 3.71 million undocumented immigrants with children who are legal permanent residents or U.S. citizens– all of these individuals should investigate whether they are eligible or not to benefit from the President’s immigration reform.

The executive action has two key components:

Protection for parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents: If you are the parent of a permanent resident or U.S. citizen, you may be able to qualify to use the executive action to remain in the country without fear of deportation for at least three years.
Expansion of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Before the executive order, immigrants under 30 who arrived as children could seek deportation deferral. Now, immigrants over 30 can qualify as well.

Whether you are Hispanic, Asian or African, you will have an opportunity to avoid deportation. According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than half of undocumented immigrants came here from Mexico while the rest are from countries in Asia or Latin America.

So, if you are interested in protection through DACA or if your child is a permanent legal resident or citizen, you should seek out legal guidance right away. Imagine how your life would be different if you no longer had to worry about being deported. Please contact the Immigration Law Office of Los Angeles, P.C. for more information.