President Obama today announced an end to deportations of undocumented immigrants eligible for the congressional DREAM Act. The DREAM Act provided a path to citizenship for young immigrants who meet certain conditions, although it failed to pass Congress.

Obama’s plan affects those who came to the United States when they were younger than sixteen but are still under thirty, have no criminal history, and either served in the military or graduated from high school. It also allows them to repeatedly apply for two-year work permits. The decision will go into effect immediately and apply to as many as eight hundred thousand immigrants. President Obama stated that this decision was neither amnesty nor a path to citizenship, but a short term solution.

For more, KBOO’s Zeke Harrington spoke with Reyna Lopez from CAUSA, Oregon’s Immigrant rights Organization.

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Jennifer Kemp attended local transportation justice organization Bus Riders Unite's planning meeting, and then the Tri-Met Board Meeting. BRU proposed an alternative budget proposal, keeping fares low and service accessible. BRU supporters turned out in large numbers to testify at the board meeting, and speak out for low income people, immigrant populations and communities of color. Jennifer Kemp spoke with BRU members as well as recording testimonials.

The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, has lost another corporate member, thanks to a report released by Color of Change, an African American social justice organization.

When reached for comment, ALEC spokeswoman Kaitlyn Buss issued a written statement in response to the Color of Change campaign.

Buss says the campaign’s goal is to quote “spread fear and shut down debate.”

She also said ALEC is solely focused on free-market solutions.

Finally, the ALEC spokeswoman referred to the efforts of the group as those of “Liberal extremists” who mischaracterize ALEC’s limited government and free market ideals.

For more on this story, KBOO’s Don Merrill spoke with Gabriel Rey-Goodlatte (Good-Latt), who is the Director of Strategy for Color of Change.