Barack Obama has repeatedly stated that he can't declare a blanket amnesty via executive order to cover all the 10-12+ million illegal aliens in the U.S. However, he's just come close by declaring a mini-amnesty that will cover up to 300,000 illegal aliens (link).

The Department of Homeland Security will conduct an individual review of all 300,000 deportation hearings with the goal of allowing some of them to stay here. And, instead of deporting illegal aliens in order to free up jobs for Americans, some of those who'll be allowed to stay will be given work permits.

Per DHS secretary Janet Napolitano:

"From a law enforcement and public safety perspective, DHS enforcement resources must continue to be focused on our highest priorities... Doing otherwise hinders our public safety mission - clogging immigration court dockets and diverting DHS enforcement resources away from the individuals who pose a threat to public safety."

That sounds good, but the DHS could do both: deport both criminals and illegal aliens who are here taking jobs that Americans could and should be doing. The DHS should be pounding the table in Congress, demanding more funding, except that's not what they're doing.

Note: as I said over a year ago, "if a bear steals your food at night, who are you going to blame, the bear, or the person whose job it was to keep bears out of camp?" The Obama administration is the bear, and they're just doing what comes naturally to them. They want illegal aliens to remain here to maintain their race-based political power, and they don't care about the impact on Americans.

The people whose job it was to guard the camp are Obama's loudest supposed opponents, such as the tea parties. Expect that group to gnash their teeth about this decision for a day or two and then forget all about it as they continue their quest to help the rich get richer. The Teapartiers have presented themselves as the One and Only True Opposition to Barack Obama, yet they've largely ignored immigration for two and a half years. As I posted back in March 2010, there are two fronts in the "war" against amnesty: those who support it, and those who'll let it happen because they're corrupt or incompetent.

Don't support or enable those supposed Obama opponents who don't have immigration as one of their top issues or who are covertly on the wrong side.

UPDATE: Ever-creative immigration lawyers are trying to find a way to increase those involved beyond the 300,000 currently in the courts. From this:

Immigration attorney Chad Brandt expressed that in the brief time period since the announcement his law firm has received hundreds of questions from undocumented immigrants who are not presently in deportation proceedings asking if they could be helped by the new policy. Mr. Brandt stated that the policy clearly applies to individuals who are now in deportation proceedings as well as those who have lost their deportation cases and are appealing those decisions. However, clear guidance has not been given as to whether the policy will apply to undocumented immigrants considering turning themselves in to DHS to be placed in deportation proceedings.

According to Mr. Brandt, it is unusual for undocumented immigrants to choose to voluntarily put themselves in deportation court because it is often extremely difficult to qualify for a defense that would avoid deportation. However, Mr. Brandt stated that individuals that meet the minimum requirements for certain defenses to deportation may now wish to consider their options. One of the toughest decisions that immigrants will have to make is whether they want to consider this opportunity now or wait further. Regardless of the decision that is made, Mr. Brandt emphasized that the announcement does not provide a green card or permanent status to immigrants in deportation.

For many, however, something is better than nothing. Having a work permit, obtaining a driver's license and coming out of the shadows may be more than enough. It is at least the start of the "dream," and not the nightmare so many have been living for decades of failed U.S. immigration policies, according to Mr. Brandt.

UPDATE 2: The letter Napolitano sent to Harry Reid about the policy change is here.