Mexican President Thanks Obama for Limiting Deportations LOS CABOS, Mexico - Mexican President Felipe Calderon praised President Obama today for having the "valor and courage" to stop deporting hundreds of thousands of young illegal immigrants. "We believe that this is very just," Calderon told Obama this morning on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. It's a humanitarian action. And it's an unprecedented action in our opinion. In this sense, Mr. President, we would like to thank you for the valor and courage that you had in implementing this action. I am sure that many, many families in the United States of America are thankful to you as well," Calderon said. Obama announced Friday that illegal immigrants will no longer face the threat of deportation if they were brought to the United States before age 16 but are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five consecutive years, are in school or have graduated from high school or earned a GED, have no criminal history or have served in the military. Immigrants who meet the criteria can apply for a work permit that will be good for two years with no limits on the number of times it can be renewed.