After President Barack Obama unveiled a new immigration plan for young people who came to the U.S. illegally, it didn’t take long for opponents to criticize the plan with a familiar word: Amnesty. But, the question in my mind and the minds of many others is simply: Did he go too far?

President Obama’s new amnesty program which does not require congressional approval, will give illegal immigrants who have been in the United States for at least five years, and who are parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents, a three-year work permit. This permit will also allow them to obtain a Social Security number and get a driver’s license.

Obama said it was the right thing to do for the economy and because “we are a better nation than one that expels innocent young kids.”

The definition of amnesty according to Oxford Dictionary categorically states that, it is “An undertaking by the authorities to take no action against specified offenses or offenders during a fixed period”.

This debate is about who America is as a country. Obama said, “Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Or are we a nation that gives them a chance to make amends, take responsibility and give their kids a better future?”

The President’s announcement came under sharp criticism from different quarters. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas said “The truest words in the president’s remarks tonight were when he said that many would see this as sticking it to middle class families who have gotten a raw deal over the past several years. He’s exactly right. That’s what he’s doing. Sticking it to middles class families who are struggling and hurt by the Obama policies. They just been hurt again, this is wrong.”

Others that criticized the President’s decision were Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. He said, “President Obama is not above the law and has no right to issue Executive Amnesty. His actions blatantly ignore the Separations of Powers and the principles our country was founded on. The President has said 22 times previously that he does not have the power to legislate on immigration. I will not sit idly by and let the President bypass Congress and our Constitution.”

Others observed that, President Obama’s order was a major step towards helping workers who want to play by the rules, pay their taxes, and become recognized members of our society.

The Obama administration stated it is focusing on “deporting felons, not families.”

Entering the country illegally is a misdemeanor but doing it a second time is a felony. Obama’s action will provide what the president calls temporary relief from the threat of deportation and provide authorization to legally work in the United States for three years. The discussion is expected to continue in the next couple of months.

In my opinion, the undocumented population in the United States of America plays an important role in both the national and state economies. However, the bone of contention is that I can’t tell which ones are good and which ones are evil and neither can you. By their very definition they are undocumented. I will watch carefully as this issue plays out in the near future.