Obama announces DACA program shielding 700,000 DREAMers from deportation via executive action

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issues a memorandum establishing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, giving deportation relief and two-year renewable work permits to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. before age 16 and have lived here since at least June 2007. The program reaches approximately 700,000 eligible individuals. Obama implements DACA via executive action after the DREAM Act fails to overcome a 55-41 Senate cloture vote in December 2010. Republicans criticize the move as executive overreach. Immigration advocates call it an inadequate but necessary half-measure.