More than 100 lawmakers oppose deportation of seriously ill immigrants

A group of 110 lawmakers sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security officials late last week asking them to clarify a new, unannounced policy to deny non-U.S. citizens the chance to continue to stay in the U.S. to get treatment life-threatening conditions. The lawmakers’ move followed reports last week that immigration attorneys for people being treated in hospitals across the country received rejection letters to extend medical stays. Those letters stated that people seeking medical deferred action had a month to leave the U.S. or face deportation. In their letter, lawmakers posed more than a dozen questions to the agency — including how the policy change has been made public and how many petitions have been denied — that they want answers for by Sept. 13. And yesterday, seemingly bowing to pressure, immigration officials said they would re-open cases that had been considered pending as of early August.