On November 20, 2014 President Barack Obama addressed the issue of illegal immigration and provided an executive order that will allow skilled workers, entrepreneurs, high school and college graduates to stay in the U.S.

Obama believes that these illegal immigrants should pay for breaking the law, especially criminals. But he wants to rid of “felons not families,” So he has proposed a deal: If an illegal immigrant has been here for at least five years he/she is allowed to stay; if someone has children who are American citizens or legal residents, the family can stay. If they register, pass a legal background check and pay taxes they will be able to stay temporarily without living in fear.

This does not apply to people that recently came to the U.S nor does it apply to future illegal immigrants. The deal does not allow them to stay permanently or allow them to receive the same benefits as American citizens. More money is going to be spent on border patrol to ensure that no one else comes in illegally, Obama added.

Just like any other policy that is passed, there is controversy and so many questions arise: Will it even be effective? What’s the point of this new policy? Is Obama granting amnesty to the illegal immigrants?

When Channel Islands High School students were asked what they thought about the new immigration policy, most agreed that it’s very much needed and helpful. A senior girl who wished to stay anonymous said that this policy gives families “that security that they won’t get kicked out.” This is something that these families deserve, she said.

But another senior girl, Alma Garcia, doesn’t like the policy all too well. She believes that Obama is picking and choosing and not being fair.

“It’s unfair because there are more people that have been here doing well, but they won’t get to it because their kids weren’t born here,” Garcia said. “If he was going to do something he should have been fair with everyone, not just with some people.”

Her family won’t apply for amnesty under the new policy because neither she nor her brother were born in the United States and they have applied for the Dream Act before so they cannot apply for this new policy.

Other people are being helped by it, though. A senior girl who wished to remain anonymous said that her parents will finally be able to work more peacefully and legally. An anonymous senior boy said that it won’t affect his family but it’ll affect his friends because they have been in America for 10 to 15 years and now they will be able to work freely without risking the possibility of being caught and being deported.

Another anonymous senior boy said that his family has been here for 20 years so they can apply but he’s mostly excited for his sister. She has been here for 26 years; she has a work permit but now she can go to school.

Nationally, many Republicans are not fond of this policy; they are the main critics. Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama was quoted on the Huffington Post saying, “We’re going to fight this illegal amnesty and we’re not going to stop.”