An analysis of the federal government's new review policy for deportations suggests that more undocumented immigrants are being allowed to stay in the country while their cases are being resolved.

During the last three months of 2011, deportation orders fell to an historic low, according to the Transactional Records Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University. Roughly 51% of the cases before the nation's Immigration Courts ended with individuals ordered removed, down from 56% the previous quarter.

The TRAC analysis found that just under two out of every three cases (64.8%) ended in either ordered or voluntary removals, the lowest rate recorded during the past two decades.

In August, the Obama administration announced it was shifting deportation policy to concentrate on removing undocumented immigrants with criminal records, rather than those who only violated immigration laws. The policy change appears to be making a mark.

The Syracuse researchers used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the Immigration Courts case records for their analysis.

The Obama administration has announced major changes in its approach to deportations this year, and this week it also announced the appointment of a public advocate to help explain how the changes will work.

The Homeland Security Department named Andrew Lorenzen-Strait, a senior adviser at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to the new position.

Lorenzen-Strait, an attorney, said he believes his role is to maintain a "two-way dialogue" between the federal government and immigrants. He will be responsible for helping the public understand the Obama administration's prosecutorial discretion policy, as well as responding to complaints about the government's handling of other immigration issues.

Immigrant groups and advocates generally hailed Lorenzen-Strait's appointment as a positive step. Republicans in Congress generally dismissed it as political posturing in an election year.

Lorenzen-Strait says he intends to prove himself through his performance on the job.

I like to call them "immbarressments." You know, immigration embarrassments.

Those ridiculous things that people say and do as they try to wrestle with this complicated and politically charged issue.

And 2011 was memorable for immbarressments. Herman Cain told a joke that fell flat during his short-lived presidential run.

Republican vice-presidential prospects, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico, got hung up over their family histories. And Alabama's new immigration law was nothing but trouble.

Of course, the government had problems of its own. It was a rich year for immbarressing moments that were mostly all self-inflicted.

The Obama administration believes it can create 1 million new jobs by promoting international tourism, boosting nonimmigrant visa processing capacity and expanding the Visa Waiver Program.

The White House initiative is aimed at drawing more tourists from China and Brazil. The government plans to increase visa processing capacity in those fast-growing countries by 40% this year.

The Visa Waiver Program allows participating nationals to travel to the United States for stays of 90 days or less without a visa. President Obama signed an executive order directing the Homeland Security and State departments to make sure that tourists who do need visas get them quickly. He wants 80% of all visa applicants to be interviewed within 21 days.

The travel and tourism industry represents 2.7% of the gross domestic product and sustains 7.5 million U.S. jobs, according to the White House. In 2010, 60 million international visitors came here. But the share of spending by international tourists has fallen from 17% to 11% during the last decade, largely because of restrictions put in place because of the 9/11 attacks.

The administration plans to appoint a group of corporate chief executives to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The Walt Disney Company currently draws about 25% of its visitors from outside the country, and company officials say that figure has ample room to grow.