Migration, Media, and Social Space

On November 20,2014, US President Barack Obama used his authority as president to act toward a reform of the US immigration system. Through his actions, President Obama segmented the undocumented immigrant population and defined national priorities for the regulation of illegal immigration. Targeting potential and recent undocumented immigrants, the president directed more resources to the territorial border between the United States and Mexico to prevent illegal immigration and to deport illegal immigrants. In contrast, the president developed schemes to promote the authorization of undocumented immigrants who had lived continuously in the United States for the past five years and who had either migrated to the United States as a child or who had at least one child who is an American citizen or legal permanent resident. Through these schemes, eligible immigrants could obtain amnesty from deportation as well as permission to stay and work in the United States, for a renewable period of three years.