Several advocacy groups have praised President Barack Obama after he took to the stage this past week to speak to the American public about the deportation of millions. He cited scripture to reinforce his point, stating, "We shall not oppress a stranger for we know the heart of a stranger -- we were strangers once, too."

The president's executive actions will put an end to a program called Secure Communities, which has been criticized for using minor offenses like traffic violations to seize and capture undocumented immigrants. The executive action will also mean that police will no long be asked to routinely detain immigrants who fail to carry the proper identification or papers.

"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?" Obama said. "Whether our forebears were strangers who crossed the Atlantic, or the Pacific, or the Rio Grande, we are here only because this country welcomed them in."

Around 5 million people will be spared from deportation because of this action, but there are countless undocumented individuals who seek protection from deportation. Since the president's announcement, several advocacy groups have shared their reactions to the action on immigration. Most applauded him, while others have said he's done what is "legally and morally right, but not enough."

"President Obama's important move forward on immigration reform is legally and morally right, but deficient in its scope. It provides an important reprieve from deportation to almost 5 million immigrants, but leaves even more undocumented immigrants unprotected from the constant threat of needless deportations and family separations," said María Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino, in a press release. "We, as a nation, are better than this. We are capable of setting and meeting high standards; of finding solutions instead of prolonging problems. But on immigration, we are not there yet. So we must keep fighting for permanent reforms."

Kumar said the president took an important step toward resolving the immigration crisis, but the House of Representatives must work with the president to find a lasting solution for those caught in the web of an outdated immigration system. She and other advocates call on congressional leaders to "look beyond partisan perspectives and immediately enact a sound immigration reform bill that includes a pathway to citizenship and is acceptable to the Latino community and voters across the U.S."

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) praised the Obama for the long awaited decision to push an executive order, which will offer relief to millions of undocumented immigrants, including an estimated 267,000 undocumented LGBT immigrants.

"Millions of undocumented immigrants who have been waiting in perpetual fear for far too long will finally have relief thanks to the strong leadership of President Obama," said Chad Griffin, president of HRC, in a press release. "Administrative relief from deportation for thousands of LGBT people who want nothing more than pursuing happiness and living openly, honestly and without fear of deportation is an important interim step. It's now up to Congress to do its job and pass comprehensive, lasting immigration reforms."

"HRC has long demanded the president offer administrative relief to undocumented LGBT immigrants, many who are seeking asylum in the United States. These individuals face additional dangers if deported back to their home nations, where they lived in the shadows of society and feared for their own safety and the safety of their families. According to the HRC, there are nearly 80 nations that consider it a crime to identify as LGBT. Sending these individuals back to those nations would mean harassment, violence or certain death. Preventing deportation means protecting LGBT detainees from sexual assault, violence and solitary confinement. HRC, too, believes Congress must fix the broken immigration system, and HRC will continue to work with our allies on Capitol Hill to pass a comprehensive, permanent solution."

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) also applauded President Obama's announcement, saying that the new program will give relief to immigrants and families, and stabilize American communities.

"We are relieved and grateful that President Obama finally has kept his promise to address our broken immigration system and relieve the fear of permanent exile and family separation that has plagued immigrants and American families. With this temporary relief, parents of U.S. citizen and lawful permanent resident children, as well as adults who have been raised and educated in our communities, will have the opportunity to pursue their educations, open businesses, advance their careers, and continue to contribute to our cities and economy," NIJC Executive Director Mary Meg McCarthy said in a press release.

"The president's plan will help restore some stability to American families, neighborhoods, schools, and businesses that have struggled in recent years as the government has detained and deported people at a record pace. While the president's program is a step in the right direction, we regret that it still excludes many parents and other individuals who have deep roots in U.S. communities. We will continue to encourage Congress to fulfill its obligation to create a permanent solution that makes our immigration system more humane and functional for everyone."

McCarthy also said that she and NIJC welcome the demise of the Secure Communities program. Also, NIJC has promised to keep a watchful eye on its replacement, the Priority Enforcement Program, as well as other announced shifts in enforcement priorities. That should reduce the number of people who are unjustly and unnecessarily targeted by immigration enforcement efforts.

"NIJC laments the administration's failure to address the continuing detention and rapid deportation of children and families who have sought protection from Central American violence. Even as the U.S. government extends relief to millions of people with long-term ties to our country, it also should uphold its history of welcoming those who seek refuge from persecution. Our nation has the resources and the compassion to do both," McCarthy said.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America has also commended President Obama for addressing the nation's broken immigration system and taking a determined step toward strengthening communities and creating a path for the American dream, but they also call on Congress to make this dream a reality.

"While this is an important step forward, we continue to join the chorus of voices across the country in calling on the Administration and Congress to work together to do more to reform our nation's immigration system, including the implementation of policies that give all people the opportunity for affordable, comprehensive health care," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in a press release.

"At Planned Parenthood we see the difference that access to affordable health care makes for women and families every day, and we're proud to stand alongside our partners who have fought so hard for this victory. This is no doubt a joyous day for families across the country who have hoped and prayed for relief, as well as those visionary leaders and activists who have dedicated their lives to achieving what we are seeing today. We strongly believe that everyone in this country should have access to health care, regardless of income, geography or citizenship status. It's good policy -- and it's the right thing to do. Planned Parenthood patients count on us for lifesaving health care and to be their fierce champion when it matters most, that's why we're fully in support of comprehensive immigration reform."

The broken immigration system can be corrected, or least that's what the president's speech seemed to indicate. Low-income immigrant women, in particular, lack health coverage and 60 percent of non-legal immigrant women of reproduction age lack health insurance. That's twice the number of low-income, U.S.-born women. So, updating restrictive public policy would mean granting access to Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid coverage and federal health.

The Immigration Accountability Executive Action will allow an estimated 4.9 million people to apply for deferred action and seek a temporary respite from the fear of deportation. Individuals are still strongly encouraged to seek legal advice from qualified immigration attorneys and legal aid organizations, like NIJC. Additionally, undocumented individuals will be allowed to apply for three-year work permits and advanced permission to travel abroad. Also, and most importantly, they'll be able to apply for temporary protection from deportation.

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