Illinois' immigrant rights activists and community leaders have planned an evening viewing party for President Barack Obama's immigration announcement.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is hosting a Thursday event at Casa Michoacan in Chicago. Coalition leaders, along with business owners and community activists plan to attend.
Obama is set to announce Thursday that he's sidestepping Congress with his own federal action on immigration.
His measures could make as many as 5 million immigrants living illegally in the United States eligible for work permits. The broadest action could extend deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, as long as those parents have been in the country for five years.
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Activists say the action is long overdue as Obama has long promised movement on the issue.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
