Washington, November 21 (RHC)-- U.S. President Barack Obama has unveiled his plan to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation in the face of congressional inaction.

Some four million people could be eligible for the new policy, which allows the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to stay in the country with work permits, if they have lived in the United States for at least five years and pass a background check.

The new plan will not provide relief to the parents of undocumented children, even those who qualified for deferred action in 2012. It also ends the controversial Secure Communities program, which swept up immigrants with minor offenses such as traffic tickets. The newly created Priority Enforcement Program will carry out a similar role.