Immigration action. Im John Seigenthaler in new york. Tonight millions of undocumented immigrants across america have new hope. In a speech from the white house, president obama unveiled a plan expected to shield up to 5 million from deportation, the president is acting alone, but says he is taking steps that will change the lives of families across america. President obama spoke for 40 minutes. Battle or their fate will end in washington. For many it begins in places like this. Paul beban was there in honduras, reporting on kids with no hopes for jobs, straight to escape gangs and see no choice except for making a run for the border. Border. The future of those kids, most, if not all journey to family in the north. To come back, they come back to on empty house. From the streets of honduras, to the desert of texas, 35 miles beyond the checkpoint. For some this, is where the journey to america. Heidi zhoucastro talked to investigators with the grim task of finding and identifying the dead. The migrants lucky enough. Jonathan martin met a teacher whose workload is suddenly crushing. You are not just an english teacher really . No, im not. Im more im the aljab ra teacher if you need me to be. Im the world geography teacher if they need me to be. Its an emotional battle. We saw it in morey eta california, where buses taking children to a Processing Center are met with tears. Along the border, some americans stand guard on their own. Its all one person can do. Its what i do. To watching the border, cleaning up the invasion trail. A flashpoint. Politicians bicker, millions of lives in the balance. President obama spoke for 15 minutes, here is what he had to say. We are and always will be a station of immigrants. We were strangers once too. Whether our forebearers were strangers who cross the the atlantic or the pacific or the rio grande, we are here because this country welcomed them in and taught them to be an american is more than what we looked like or what our names were. Who will be the winners or the losers. Jonathan betz is here with details. This is a sweeping order, millions can be aspected. Affected. The presidencies oppressing immigrants is not who we are, so offers to help parents and children. Reporter the focus, the president says, is on families, families in the u. S. We are a nation that accepts the cultity. The president outlines changes to pollie in three decades. They must have stayed here, have children who are american citizens. People like miguel, whose son long worries hell be deported. Theyll qualify for a Social Security number, will work legally and pay taxes, but will not get benefits like Social Security. If you meet the chris earion, you can come out of the shadows. Dreamers are eligible, people brought to the u. S. Illegally as childrenment the president says it doesnt matter how hold they are, as long as they came before 2010. Theyll help 300,000 more people. It helps everyone, to be contributing members of the society. Some want him to go further. Dreamers parents are left out, as are farm workers. The president promised to further tighten the border, critics say it sends the wrong message. A big concern for immigrants is the protection may not last. Since they will not be full u. S. Citizens. This is first of all, its a temporary solution and will remain so for as long as president obama is president. We dont know what will happen in 2016. It is a concern for many and a tough choice for some, whether it will apply for an exception. The founder of the dream Access Coalition is a dreamer. One of the undocumented immigrants that wont face deportation. Welcome. You have a smile on your face when you walked in the studio. What did you think about the president s speech . It illustrated a much needed reform that we expected for a long, long time. For me, its like finding out that my mother will qualify for deportation. You were concerned about that, right. Absolutely. The reason we do this. We are fighting, making sure we are pressing politicians to do the right thing is because of my mother. Knowing today was a significant moment. Some people will not be as lucky as your mum. Millions of people wont be. And could be subject to deportation. The president didnt go far enough. Absolutely not. The president took a positive step, embracing his constitutional power, and well stand with him, making sure we protect the victory from the tea party, from Many Republican extremists who are trying to take trying to cause a shutdown. It was at this moment that the president could have gone far enough to protect more people. Plenty came out of the shadows, and more will. What about people who may be concerned if they come out of the shadows, in a couple of years another president is there and reverses everything. What happens to them. Thats why we need to make sure that the community nose that they need to step up and come out. The more people that come out and apply, the more difficult it is to take protection from people. History showed whenever you give some protection, its harder to take it away. Absolutely. Being afraid to come out of the storm, driving without a distrifrs licence, many are able to have the protection. Can you focus on the attempt to reverse the president s action. I mean, what do you expect congress to do, what needs to happen, and what do you think will happen. There are many things. Ted cruz, cama carsy politics. They want to shut down the government. A lot of the money coming from the funds, the agency, immigration, comes from applications, not from appropriations. We have that, but we have republicans like senator mccain and others that want to get something down. They came out saying instead of us focussing on criticizing the president , shutting the government, why dont we come up with a solution. Why now, that the republicans have control of the house and the senate, do you think that will happen . Thats why we are here. We want to make sure as well as to put the pressure on republicans, that the president takes action. How do you do that . Its speaking to them. They are supposed to be speaking to the constituents and the power of the vote. Do you think that the republicans recognise the power of the latino vote, and the power that you wield, and are you using it effectively. Put to this way, i dont have the power to vote. My family does. No Political Campaign can get us close to my family. No campaign can get it to my family. This is a good process, its on our side. Thats the person. You say dont. Millions of us. 2016. President ial elections around the corner. Hillary clinton is paying tension. Senator rand paul. Marco rubio is paying attention. We have a political context where well be very divisive. Thank you so much. Many people watched the president s speech, including undocumented families, heidi zhoucastro was there and jones us now. What did you hear . It was a strongly mixed rehabilitation that i heard at the watch party. On one hand the families that will benefit were ecstatic saying this is a moment theyve been waiting and working for. The action falls far short of the finish line, leaving behind millions of other families that, in their words are not lucky enough. This time i spend time with the family. There are children born in the u. S. This is their story. Reporter breakfast at the kitchen table. Surrounded by family. Each member here is appreciated because for so long, they have lived with the fear that each meal together may be their last. My family and i, the majority of those you are undocumented. Stephanie torez was six when she crossed the boarder illegally to join her parents. That was 20 years ago. The parties are without legal authorisation. Torez has a temporary work permit. She arrived as a child, and the renewed permit arrived in the mail. Nice. I know, it came yesterday. Its so its funny, its just a little card. But its lifechanging. The family has always been tight. A brother and sister born in the u. S. If you want, you can wash them. Torezs father works two jobs to support the family. As long as we have been, we are happy. I mean that. Im okay. Why you are undocumented, you cant own a house, you cant get on a plane, see a family outside of the country. You cant legally drive here in texas. What burden does that create. Its a huge burden. If you want drive your kids to school because you dont have a drivers licence, you are risking your life every morning. It was on such a morning one year ago that torezs mother was arrested. She was held in a Detention Center for two months. Unless the government executives her another extension, shell be deported in january. They dont say it. We are thinking it. We want to the keep fighting to be together. This is my family. And they need me. I want to be with them. It remains to be seen if president obamas executive action will benefit people under deportation orders. It appears certain that torezs father will be help. What is the first thing youll do once you have documents in order. Probably see my mum. Shes in mexico. I have to see my mum. 19, 20 years. Well be able to breathe. Live a normal life that we seek. The family is hopeful that it will Stay Together and out of the shadows. See you tonight, bye. Again, theyve been in the United States for 20 years. So many families have been here for just as long, if not longer and live a daily life similar to their experience, with the one notable difference, that their children were not born in the u. S. , and they have been left out of this executive action. Heidi zhoucastro, thank you. President obama decided to act on his own to reform the American Immigration system. Republicans in congress say its a power grab. Therell be consequences. White house correspondent Patty Culhane has the details. There are 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. With this announcement president obama said hell give a temporary reprieve to less than half. They have children, who were american citizens. Potentially impacting fewer than 5 million people. What i describe is accountability. A commonsense middle ground approach. If you meet the criterion, you can come out of the shadows and get to the law. Its temporary, the next president could overturn it, leaving the government with an it list of people that could potentially be deported. Moving on his own is controversial. In large part because the president is saying he doesnt have the authority to act on his own. My job in the executive branch is supposed to be to carry out the laws passed. Now the white house says it did another review of the law, and the president can act without congress to a limit. Republicans are threatening revenge. We are considering a variety of options. Make no mistake, when the newly elected representative of the people take their seats, they will act. In all likelihood, theres probably little the republicans can do to stop the president on immigration. They can try to make him pay in other areas. Like budget cuts. White house officials admit they can do that, but are betting they wont. Jeannie is a professor of Political Science and is back in our studio. Welcome. What can republicans do. Will they pass a bill . I think patty is right. Options are limited. They have been threatening a variety of things. They have a big dilemma, they cannot turn off the latino voting community. They have to be careful how they go forward. They cap pass a bull. They have not been successful. They can use the power of the purse to curb the money, they can hold up nominees and confirmation hearingsful all the options are limited. Theres a lot of disagreement in the Republican Party about what to do. We have been talking about this off camera, who was the reaction to what the president said. It was what we expected, what we heard he was going to say. Its an emotional issue. It felt a little divorced from his the feels didnt seem to be there. I thought he didnt do a good job explaining to the American Public why hes just bid in doing this. If you look at the polls, americans support an immigration with foreign policy. He has to explain how hes justified in doing it. I think he is justified. His explanation is a little bit difficult to understand. Just from a performance stand point, im not sure whether he seems a little flat or off. The energy into it tonight, that maybe i expected, as you said, there was a Human Element that he didnt necessarily connect to, right. Absolutely. Your interview with caesar, looking at the interviews with people on the ground. It was an emotional issue. He could bring forward the stories, he did one story, if he could bring forward the emotion, we are talking about 5 million people. Its more than that, its families, its an emotional issue they have been struggling with. Not much of that came through. Hes going to vegas, he could do that. He could have someone with him who represents that, and probably will. Absolutely. Theres students, a high school when he tried to make the case. Im hoping some of the energy from some of the people that support the effort will infuse his speech and hell make the case more strongly. Is this the political issue . Its one of several. It will be a big one. It is a big problem for republicans. What do they do about this. They cant win the white house unless they address the issue of immigration. Yet they want to puck the president on this. They are setting themselves up for a big fight. Good to see you. Thank you. Quick programming night. White House Press Secretary josh ernst joins us tomorrow. Hope youll join us then. Coming up next well introduce you to one of the millions of undocumented immigrants that could benefit from the president s plan, hes seeking shelter now in a church. Psh psh president obamas announcement could be the answer to an undocumented immigrants prayer. He took refuge in a tuscon church hoping to avoid being deported to his neighbouring mexico. Jennifer london has his story. [ singing ] reporter this man is seeking salvation. Unlike the small group of parishioners who attends a vigil he cant leave the church at the end of the service. How long are you prepared to stay in the church . I have no idea how long it will be. No other options, because he is facing deportation back to mexico. His lawyer tries to halt the proceedings, francisco has taken sanctuary in the church. Why should you be allowed to stay in the United States. You dont have papers, why shouldnt you be deported . Its very long story, but. Give me a reason why you think you should stay in the United States . The reason i think is my kids, my family. I have five kids, they are u. S. Citizens. I not have any record, criminal. Since late september he has been living here. It is a place i sleep. Reporter hiding in plane sight from immigration authorities unlikely to take action. The policy, the moreton memo, states that deportation order would not be carried out at sensitive locations such as schools or churches unless prior approval is obtained. This pastor says pascal can stay at his church for as long as it takes. Reporter why is the church basically giving him a hiding place . First of all, families should Stay Together our policies should never be to divide families. Sank tu air yairs are not without sacrifice. Attempts to keep them together tore them apart. Francisco and his wife live in a trailer. Its close, but he cant visit. The risk of returning home is far too great. If francisco were caught, he would be deported without the chance to say goodbye. Confined to the church, franciscos family must come to him. I see my children need their father in the home. Reporter South Side Presbyterian Church pioneered the movement in the 1980s. The pastor says offering a safe haven for migrants is the right thing to do. More people have faith. They promise to follow the command of our faith. These are promises we will not break. Earlier this year, danielle, undocumented, living in tucson, was issued a oneyear stay of his deportation, giving hope to francisco and others. I hope tomorrow they call and say hey, everything is okay. Everything it over. I dont know how long it will be. With the president s announcement on immigration reforms, franciscos prayers may be answered soon. And coming up next on the broadcast. [ chanting ] relatives of missing mexican students lead protests begging for answers. What happens after the epic snowfall in buffalo. Things could get worse. This is al jazeera america, and im John Seigenthaler. Coming up president obama inveils a plan to help undocumented immigrants living in the states for years. People in buffalo digging out after 7 feet of snow dumped on the area. Things are likely to get worse before they get better you may not know his name, but you know his films. We remember the life and the legacy of mike nichols. What is next for the reform plan, and the fight to stop it. Lets check in with senior washington correspondent mike viqueira. The president says its all about accountability, and he will have one big political fight on his hands. He says to the republicans in congress that called him an emperor and worse, that he has the ability to do that, hes within legal justification, if they dont like it, they can pass a bill. Here is more of what the president had to say. For those members of the congress that question my authority to make the immigration system work better or question of the wisdom of acting where congress failed, i have one answer. Pass a bill. I want to work with both parties to pass a more permanent legislative solution. The day i sign the bill into law, the action i take will no longer be necessary. Republicans are conjeeling around one idea. Theyll try to defund what the president put forward. Use the power of the purse. Theres a big spending bill. Its due on december the 11th. They are pushing leadership to defund what the president has proposed. When you were outside the white house, we heard the protesters in the background. I guess there were people on both sides. Probably more in support of what president obama was doing. There were peel on both sides. Theres a lot of republican rhetoric over the top. A lot of people, republicans say that there could be anarchy in the streets, violence in the street. These protesters are supporting the president. Many had their tab loits, they were listening to the president in real time as he gave the address much one was miguel who welcomed what the president had to say. This is so good for me, my family, definitely.