Coachella Valley reacts to President’s plan for executive action on immigration

President Barack Obama says he’s done waiting for Congress and is ready to act on his own on the issue of immigration. He’ll announce his plan to the nation Thursday night at 5 local time.

For some in the Coachella Valley the announcement couldn’t come soon enough. People are already calling immigration legal experts about how to start getting in line knowing what the President says Thursday could very well change their lives for the better.

“I still have family in Mexico, I would go visit them, travel, do all of the things I really want to do, a better job, opportunity, everything would be much easier,” said immigrant Marlenne Gastlum.

Gastlum may have been born in Mexico, but she grew up here with her whole family, and has even started one of her own. That’s why she’s currently going through the lengthy process to get a green card, a process she hopes the President’s announcement will help speed up.

“It would be much better for me, everything would be much easier for my family, I have a kid that is three years old so everything would be much easier,” said Gastlum.

“What I’m going to be laying out is the things I can do with my lawful authority as president to make the system work better,” said the President during a taped statement on Facebook announcing his plan for the executive action.

The President’s plan is expected to protect as many as 5 million people in the country illegally from deportation and made eligible for work permits.

“We have 240,000 undocumented it is going to have a very serious impact, not just the Coachella Valley, what we are going to see is an influx of immigrants in ca who are going to improve the economy for us,” said Karan Kler, Executives Director of Coachella Valley Immigration Service and Assistance.

It’s not a path to citizenship but a temporary, renewable right to stay, and work.

“You came here broke our laws, you are living undocumented, this is an effort to document you, finger print you, to check your background. If you have something to hide you won’t be documented we will ship you out, that is what the beauty of this is,” said Kler.

But the other side, Republicans are infuriated by what they view as “Emperor” Obama, far overstepping his legal bounds.

“If he goes through with this, and sticks a finger in the eye of the American people, with no thought about it, other than this is what I want to do, and I’m going to do it, then I think he jeopardizes long-term the Democrats ever to get back in power again in Washington DC,” said Texas Governor Rick Perry.

It’s important to remember once the President makes his announcement change won’t happen over night, it will take any where from 60 to 90 days for any policy changes to be implemented.

Also keep in mind these actions could be reversed by a new President, especially if a republican one is elected in two years.