In an interested turn of events, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has halted the deportation of 7 immigrants and "given the Obama administration until March  19th to explain if Aranda Rodriguez and the other immigrants deserve a break under a new enforcement policy known as prosecutorial discretion."

From this MercuryNews.com article:

The dissenting judge called putting the deportations on hold an "audacious ruling" that exceeded the judges' authority.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton had announced in June that immigration authorities would stop detaining and deporting some illegal immigrants who have close family and community ties and no criminal records.

Aranda Rodriguez fits that bill, said his lawyer.

The San Joaquin County construction worker and Mexican immigrant has lived in the United States for more than two decades and cares for two U.S. citizen children.

"He's the kind of person Mr. Obama and also the Morton memo is talking about. He exemplifies that," Connolly said.

The Obama administration has said it will review around 300,000 deportation cases, but it's been slow in coming and has led to quite a bit of confusion.  In the meantime, worker and employer rights are being violated and families are being ripped apart.  Thousands and thousands of children have been put into foster care during Obama's term in office.

I hope these 7 immigrants, and many more, are allowed to stay in the US.  Their work ethic and low-cost labor are desperately needed in this lagging economy, and more importantly, they deserve to have their individual rights respected and protected!