L.A. Now Live: Applications slow for Obama immigration program

Since President Obama‘s “deferred action” program began last August, nearly 270,000 young immigrants have received approvals and are now able to work legally. In most states, they can get driver’s licenses. But of the estimated 1.3-million people who are potentially eligible, only a third have applied. The pace of applications has slowed from 116,000 in October to 31,000 in March.

Early applicants tended to be college-educated. Some, like Benito Vasquez, 28, are missing a key requirement — a high school diploma. They can make up the educational deficiency by enrolling in a class. But that is a daunting prospect for someone who works long hours, lives in a remote area and has little formal schooling.

Join us at 9 a.m. as we discuss Obama’s “deferred action” program and the hurdles some immigrants face in meeting its requirements with Times reporter Cindy Chang.

Some immigrants do not realize they are eligible, believing the program is reserved for college students. Others may be fearful of coming forward or are waiting to see if an amnesty program emerges from Washington. The $465 application fee is steep for a minimum-wage worker, and reams of documents are needed to prove that an immigrant has indeed put down roots in the United States.

The greatest challenge may be the educational requirement. Many of those yet to apply are farmworkers, one in three of whom has less than a ninth-grade education. In the Central Valley, as many as half of immigrants may need more schooling to apply for deferred action. The figure for California is 30%, according to the Immigration Policy Center.