Carlos Garcia, one of hundreds of immigrants who went to the Mexican consulate in Houston to learn about how the new deportation policy might help him. (MyFoxHouston.com)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – Like so many here in the country illegally, Carlos Lopez had no choice.
His family brought him from Mexico City to the United States when he was just 7 years old.
The college student said he has vague memories of his homeland.
"If I go back to Mexico, it's like I'm back to nothing," Lopez said.
He and hundreds, probably thousands, of Mexican nationals who came here as children flooded into the Mexican Consulate to learn what they need to do to take advantage of the Obama Administration's policy to not deport people like him.
The administration has said it will halt deportations of undocumented immigrants who came here as children, have been here for five years, and have no criminal records. Those who have served in the military are also covered.
The plan is to give them work visas; however, nobody knows what is going to happen, the working details.
The Mexican government believes getting a Mexican passport or a consular ID card is a good start.
"For the moment, the American authorities are not giving information about making any applications. We have only general conditions," Mexican Consul General Dr. Luis Malpica y de La Mardrid said.
Malpica warns people hoping to take advantage of the program to stay out of legal trouble and avoid scam artists who claim they can get you on a list. There is no list.
Republicans have criticized the Obama administration for the plan. The criticism generally focuses on how the White House acted, rather that the policy itself. They say the issue should've been put before the voters. This will make the issue more, not less divisive.
"It makes people who are on this side of the camp more entrenched and these people over here more entrenched in their positions and it does nothing to bring people to the middle where the real solution is," Republican strategist Bob Price said.
The drive to prepare people for the policy change kicked off Monday, but the Mexican government says it will run indefinitely.
For more Texas news, see myfoxhouston.com
Follow us on twitter.com/foxnewslatino
Like us at facebook.com/foxnewslatino
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.
More from Politics
