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Immigration delay ups the ante on Obama, GOP

By WTOP Staff

ERICA WERNER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Barack Obama announced he was looking for ways to ease deportations without going through Congress, Republicans called it a case study in overreach, arguing that it’s Obama — not Republicans — who is undermining prospects for an immigration overhaul by proving he can’t be trusted to enforce the law.

Now as a narrow summertime window opens in which Congress could act on immigration, Obama is working to turn the tables on Republicans. He’s holding off any executive actions on deportation in hopes that Republicans will bear all the blame if that window closes with the nation’s immigration system no closer to being fixed.

It’s an election-year gambit with the potential to backfire: By asking for patience yet again from frustrated immigration activists, Obama is driving up expectations about actions he’ll take if the fight in Congress ultimately fails.

“It’s an audacious strategy,” Democratic pollster Celinda Lake said. “But it has some downsides to it too.”

Two months after Obama commissioned a review of how deportations in America can be more humane, the White House announced Tuesday that Obama had asked his homeland security secretary, Jeh Johnson, to hold off on releasing the results of that review until August. That’s when lawmakers leave Washington to focus on campaigning ahead of the November elections.

White House officials said the delay is intended to give the GOP as much breathing room as possible to maneuver now that most GOP primaries are over, freeing incumbent Republicans from concerns about challenges from conservatives who oppose an immigration overhaul.

Yet Obama’s allies also hope that by holding off on controversial steps to ease deportations, Democrats can keep the focus squarely on the failure of Republicans and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to bring immigration to a vote.

“Giving the Republicans space takes away their final excuse,” said Jim Wallis, president of Christian social justice group Sojourners. “It’s all now focused on John Boehner.”

But Republicans dismissed the notion that Obama’s move makes it easier for Republicans to act on immigration, noting that Obama has only delayed — not removed — the threat that he’ll go over lawmakers’ heads if they don’t act by August.

“It’s completely inappropriate for the president to threaten Congress that he will unconstitutionally act on his own if Congress doesn’t produce a bill to his political liking within his own made-up timeframe,” House Judiciary Committee Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said.

And if lawmakers stall, Obama will be short on excuses not to take the aggressive executive action on deportations that activists long have demanded.

“Delaying reform may keep the spotlight on Republicans for now, but it ramps up the pressure on (Obama) to not only to take executive action, but to make it big and bold,” said Frank Sharry of the pro-immigrant group America’s Voice. “Otherwise, the president will undercut the historic opportunity presented by Republican inaction to once and for all cement the allegiances of immigrant voters in favor of Democrats.”

Laying the blame squarely at Republicans’ feet could motivate dispirited Latino voters, who tend to favor Democrats, in a midterm election in which Obama has warned repeatedly that the biggest hazard for his party is that Democrats won’t show up to vote. At the same time, some immigration groups and Democrats — including Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. — have lost patience and already are balking at Obama’s delay.

Most Americans — 55 percent — favor providing a legal way for those in the U.S. illegally to become citizens, according to a May AP-GfK poll, including 73 percent of Democrats.

The White House believes it’s possible Congress could move on immigration in June or July if Republicans can resolve their internal struggle over letting a bill get to the floor for a vote. Earlier this month, House GOP leaders rejected a narrow, Republican-backed measure that would grant citizenship to immigrants brought here illegally as children if they serve in the military. But House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., himself facing a tea party primary challenge, and other GOP leaders intervened to block a vote, marking the latest in a string of immigration setbacks.

Johnson has said he was looking at reforms that include changes to the Secure Communities program that hands over people booked for local crimes to federal immigration authorities. But immigration advocates are also pushing Obama to expand his program allowing certain immigrants brought here illegally as youths to stay and work legally.

Advocates want the program expanded at least to include the parents of those immigrant children and say that nothing short of that will suffice.

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Follow Josh Lederman at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP and Erica Werner at http://twitter.com/ericawerner

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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