About the Immigration Amnesty
Today you would be hard pressed to watch a news broadcast and not see a story on undocumented workers and immigration amnesty. This is an extremely hot topic among Americans and it directly affects the status of an estimated 10 to 12 million immigrants who are in the country illegally. The question of immigration amnesty isn't a new one. In fact 25 years ago President Ronald Regan supported a bill that passed Congress which provided immigration amnesty to the nearly 4 million undocumented workers that were in the country at the time. At the time it seemed to be a logical solution to the problem of undocumented workers but unfortunately two of the most important elements of the bill were not effectively implemented. Reagan wanted to secure the nation's borders and he wanted to severely punish employers who knowingly hired undocumented workers. Neither of these objectives was accomplished meaning the net affect of the bill was to legalize 4 million immigrants while leaving the way into the country and becoming employed without papers completely untouched. 25 years later those conditions remain the same and the country has an additional 12 million undocumented immigrants. Obama promised a path to legal status for the undocumented workers and their families in his presidential campaign. However given the high unemployment rate and the defeat of his DREAM Act, it is unlikely that there will be any program offering immigrant amnesty until after the 2012 elections.

Immigration Amnesty - There is a way
So where does that leave the 10 to 12 million workers who don't have papers? The country's immigration and naturalization laws are complex and bogged down by bureaucracy. However, buried in those regulations there is actually a way to apply for immigration amnesty providing a person does not have a criminal record. The process is confusing and time consuming and anyone pursuing this course should consult with a qualified immigration attorney. This process was designed to assist persons who overstayed their visa or who entered the country without a proper visa. Determining if you qualify is really best left to an attorney because the laws and regulations affecting this process are in a constant state of flux. A person can save some of the legal expense by completing the forms themselves (forms available on the USCIS website) but you should have legal council to guide you through the process. Once an application for amnesty has been submitted to the United States Citizen and Immigration Service (USCIS), the person has legal status and can even apply for a work permit allowing them to legally seek work and earn a living while the case is being considered. If a person elects to go this route they must also understand the restrictions while their request is being considered. For example you can't leave the country to visit home without completing and filing specific forms. Obviously a person cannot violate any law while being considered for legal status. If the USCIS decides in favor of the applicant, the applicant will be in a good position to sponsor the members of his immediate family for legal status as well.

Immigration Amnesty - Apply today
Immigration amnesty will no doubt be hotly debated for at least two more years so it would appear that the only real way to accomplish legalization is to use the existing law that allows for a review of an immigrant's case. However it would be unrealistic to expect the system to function properly if even 10% of the illegals were to apply. With that in mind, it would be in a person's best interest to expedite their application in order to take advantage of the opportunity before it becomes widely known.