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Mo. officials react to Pres. Obama's executive order on immigration

Missouri officials are both praising and condemning President Obama’sexecutive ordertoday that halts deportation of teenage and young adult illegal immigrants.

Anyone younger than 30 who was brought to the U.S. before turning 16 can get a work card and a two-year deferral from being deported – provided they pose no criminal or security threat, have been in the country for five continuous years, and have either earned a High School diploma, GED, or served in the military.  Vanessa Crawford is Executive Director of the group Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates (MIRA).

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“This was the right thing to do," Crawford said.  "They want to be productive members of the community, it’s good for our economy, it’s good for these people personally to allow them to stay here.”

Republicans are blasting the move. Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyeraccuses the president of granting “back door amnesty” to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

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Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.