Surprise, surprise

President Barack Obama’s program to allow some illegal immigrants to remain and work legally in the United States isn’t drawing as many takers as expected.

The program, which applies to those younger than 30 who were typically brought here by their parents when they were children, has drawn just 40,000 applications out of an estimated 1.7 million eligible. It turns out that people who’ve violated immigration laws are hesitant to provide the government their names and locations without a guarantee they or their relatives won’t be deported.

Because the program was enacted through an executive order and not an act of Congress, and because a presidential election looms, Obama can’t make that promise.

We’ve noted Obama’s gesture was more about politics than actually resolving long-standing immigration problems. The response of those targeted by Obama’s program indicates many of them feel the same way.

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