Because the government has limited resources to deport people who are in the U.S. illegally, it has come up with the concept of Prosecutorial Discretion (PD). Under PD, a judgment is made by the Office of the Chief Counsel in a particular jurisdiction that an removable person who has been issued a Notice to Appear does not warrant the time and effort that would be spent trying to remove/deport them. If granted, the person can remain here. But it is not a green card and the status can always be revoked.
One type of Prosecutorial Discretion is called “Deferred Action Status”. Deferred Action means that the removal process is being placed to the side and not acted on, but the case has not being fully terminated. While the proceeding may be administratively terminated and the case closed, it can be reopened if the person does something wrong or if there is a change in priorities on the part of the Government.
Learn more about the immigration services provided by Philip Levin & Associates.
