Obama gave them temporary work permits for 2 years and deferred deportation. A green card is permanent resident status and takes 5-10 years to get once approved.
Presidential power to pardon.
Under the Constitution, only federal criminal convictions, such as those adjudicated in the United States District Courts, may be pardoned by the President. In addition, the President's pardon power extends to convictions adjudicated in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and military court-martial proceedings.
2 years 5 years. Certainly the mean ole Republicans aren’t going to send these future Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers and Nuclear Physicists back home. “Under the Constitution” that works well for Obama.
CC