Immigration reform has become on of the most highly visible talking points for the upcoming presidential election, but that debate focuses on future political policies as promised by our current candidates. In the meantime, the current administration has taken action in the 11th hour to make good on President Obama's long-held vows to assist immigrants seeking safety from persecution in their Central American homelands.

As reported by The Atlantic, immigration reform was supposed to have been a major achievement of Obama's "legacy." Although initial attempts to bring about legislation in this area were halted by both Congress and the Supreme Court, the Obama administration has finally succeeded in its attempts to assist migrants coming from the Central American region.

The Department of Homeland Security announced in late July expanded initiatives by the United States to address migration challenges faced by citizens living in the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, in a bid to address ongoing humanitarian challenges within that region.

A joint venture between the United States, the Government of Costa Rica, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), this new expansion of the existing "Central American Minors Program" will help vulnerable individuals fleeing dangerous regions to find a safe haven in the U.S.

"Through the Central American Minors Program, the United States government offers an alternative, safe and legal path to the U.S. for children seeking protection from harm or persecution in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras," Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said in a statement. "Today, we are expanding these resettlement opportunities to additional vulnerable individuals within the region. This will increase the number of individuals to whom we are able to provide humanitarian protection while combating human smuggling operations."

This newly updated initiative, while focused on humanitarianism, was also designed to ensure safe and orderly migration as well as border security, the Department of Homeland Security maintains.

The Central American Minors Program, as it already exists, allows certain immigrants, including lawful permanent residents and those with temporary protected status to petition for their unmarried children (under the age of 21) living in the aforementioned countries to migrate to the U.S.for "in-country refugee processing."

The newly expanded version of the program now allows for the petitioning of not only children under age 21 and current spouses (who reside with the children), but also sons and daughters of a U.S-based lawfully-present parent who are over 21 years old; the in-country biological parent of the qualified children; and caregivers of qualified children who are also related to the U.S.-baseed lawfully present parent.

Earlier this year, Secretary of State John Kerry set the foundations upon which this newly expanded immigration reform plan were built. Working in conjunction with the United Nations, Kerry's original plan sought to identify residents of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who may be eligible for refugee status and to offer these individuals protection from possible harm in their home countries.

As defined under U.S. law by the DHS Department of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, a refugee is someone who is located outside of the U.S., is admissible to the U.S., and is of special humanitarian concern to the U.S. These individuals must demonstrate that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

"We can both maintain the highest security standards and live up to our best traditions as Americans by welcoming those in need of help to our great country," Kerry said during a speech at the National Defense University in Washington. "We dare not turn our backs on future generations seeking the same set of opportunities."

"We have the ability to protect ourselves, even as we remain a country that welcomes migration," Kerry continued.

According to a USA Today report, immigration activists applauded the new approach to reforming migration laws, lauded by the Secretary of State and the Human Rights First organization called it a "long-overdue development."