Immigrants in Ga. apply for deportation protection - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Immigrants in Ga. apply for deportation protection

  • NEWS

  • Friday, May 17 2013 10:12 PM EDT2013-05-18 02:12:11 GMT
    Shana Young has lived in Columbus for quite some time she remembers when uptown used to be downtown and it wasn't the heavily populated place it is today. She believes a lot of that is because of Columbus
    Shana Young has lived in Columbus for quite some time she remembers when uptown used to be downtown and it wasn't the heavily populated place it is today. She believes a lot of that is because of Columbus
  • Saturday, May 18 2013 10:52 PM EDT2013-05-19 02:52:09 GMT
    WTVM's Give 9 Campaign rolled on Saturday despite a few drops of rain moving the Animal Ark Rescue event indoors. Members of the News Leader 9 family including Anchor Barbara Gauthier and Jason Dennis
    WTVM's Give 9 Campaign rolled on Saturday despite a few drops of rain moving the Animal Ark Rescue event indoors. Members of the News Leader 9 family including Anchor Barbara Gauthier and Jason Dennis
  • Saturday, May 18 2013 6:29 PM EDT2013-05-18 22:29:33 GMT
    Four vehicles burned overnight in Columbus' Historic District. The car owners live within a block of each other. The victims say they don't have any idea why they were targeted. Find out how the suspects
    Four vehicles burned overnight in Columbus' Historic District. The car owners live within a block of each other. 

ATLANTA (AP) - More than 10,000 illegal immigrants living in Georgia have requested temporary protection from deportation under a plan established by President Barack Obama.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has granted over 53,000 requests for protection from deportation since the government began accepting applications in August. Georgia ranks ninth nationally in the number of people who have applied.

To be eligible, applicants have to prove they arrived in the U.S. before they turned 16 and are under 30 years old. They must be high school graduates or in school, or have served in the military, and they cannot have a serious criminal record.

The new policy does not provide legal status, and protection from deportation and work authorization is only for two years.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.