This means that theoretically, some aliens can beat the 180-day unlawful presence clock simply by asking the INS to grant them advance parole. When they leave the United States and are re-admitted, the unlawful presence clock must start all over again. Initial indications from INS headquarters are that the Service will grant advance parole for this purpose. All these requirements, exceptions and ambiguities have been lost on most immigrants. That is not true.
Time is still available, though it is ebbing fast.
September 28 is the key date for many aliens, not April 1. As more aliens begin to understand the intricacies of the new law, the worry surrounding the mythical deadline of April 1 will look like a small ripple compared to the tidal wave of aliens who leave the country just before the real deadline of September 28. The INS has only 616 deportation officers around the country, including supervisors. With an estimated five million undocumented aliens, that breaks down to over 8,100 aliens per officer to find and remove. Moreover, the INS has acknowledged that it will not start mass deportations of undocumented aliens now or in the fall.