US immigration change affects military families

WASHINGTON (AP) The Obama administration will allow some U.S. military members' relatives who live illegally in the country to stay, according to a policy directive issued Friday.

It is the latest in a series of immigration policy changes made by President Barack Obama since he took office.

The latest order gives U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials the power to "parole in place" immigrant spouses, children and parents of current service members, reservists and veterans. The change means that those immigrants can apply to legally live in the United States.

The department has long had the power to stop deportations for relatives of military members and veterans, but the new memo explains how and when it can be used.

Margaret D. Stock, an immigration attorney, said the latest directive likely would affect thousands of military families. "It is very significant," Stock said. "It will ease the strain on so many families and military members."

James Swartout, a Defense Department spokesman, said the military appreciates the clarification on how immigrant family members of service members are to be treated.

As chances fade for a major overhaul of the immigration system in the near future, Obama is relying more often on making relatively minor administrative changes. He pledged twice as a presidential candidate to pass immigration reforms.

The Obama administration has also allowed immigrant spouses and children of U.S. citizens to stay in the United States in some cases.

Other rule changes gave more flexibility to the Homeland Security Department's use of immigration holds for people in local jails.

Republicans in the House of Representatives have long criticized the administrative changes.

Obama has repeatedly said immigration reform is a top priority of his administration. His selection of Jeh Johnson, the Defense Department's former top lawyer, as the next Homeland Security secretary signals that the White House will now lead the push for immigration law changes. Johnson has no immigration experience.

The Senate earlier this year passed a sweeping bill that called for the doubling of the Border Patrol and a path to legal status for the nearly 11 million immigrants already living illegally in the country.

But activity has stalled in the House, where it faces strong opposition from Republicans who have objected to a comprehensive approach. Many of them don't like the idea of offering citizenship to people who broke immigration laws to travel to the U.S.

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Associated Press writer Alicia A. Caldwell contributed.