Individuals must also complete a background check and, for those individuals who make a request to USCIS and are not subject to a final order of removal, must be 15 years old or older.<\/p>\n

Why do it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a humane and common-sense policy decision, and the rationale is simple: Young people who appreciate America and contribute to America, strengthen it. It\u2019s just not right to punish children who\u2019ve done nothing wrong, just because you don\u2019t like what their parents did. It\u2019s not just about where you were born that makes you American, it\u2019s about how you live your life and what you do in the only country you\u2019ve always loved and called home, too.<\/p>\n

Issues raised by this decision<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is it a politically motivated decision? To be sure, it has a lot of appeal to Latino voters, a bloc that President Obama needs behind him in his reelection campaign. But to call it a cold, calculated political move isn\u2019t fair. A cold, calculated political move is one that defies a candidate\u2019s previously stated views\u2014a flip-flop, if you will, such as suddenly taking credit for the auto industry bailout when you wrote an op-ed calling for allowing the industry to go bankrupt.<\/p>\n