Executive Order on Immigration Raises Bipartisan Concerns
Executive Order on Immigration Raises Bipartisan Concerns
Unilateral White House Action No Substitute for Real Reform
(Washington, D.C.) – With reports indicating that the White House may soon undertake unilateral executive actions to change U.S. immigration policies, members of the president's own party are signaling their concerns. A number of leading Democrats in the Senate and elsewhere are calling for legislative action – and not unilateral White House orders – to put in place durable, carefully-considered policy reforms. Some traditional White House allies have also questioned whether executive orders would go beyond the president's legal and constitutional authority – which would render the changes subject to legal challenge. It's also possible that disputes regarding the legality of an executive order could lead to a government shutdown.
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:
"It's long been clear that passing immigration reform through Congress and having it signed into law was going to be difficult. President Obama failed to act during his first two years in office – when his party controlled both the House and Senate. Recently, the House failed to execute its own piece-meal approach to reform. Without strong leadership, developing bipartisan consensus in times of divided government has been a challenge.
The country is eager for reform. But as attractive as they sound and as well-intentioned as they may be, executive orders are no substitute for real immigration reform enacted into law. They provide neither the balanced solutions achieved only through consensus nor the security and sustainability afforded in law. And as we have seen with DACA and the massive border surge that followed, they can provoke enormous unintended consequences that may take years to correct. It's important to learn the lessons of the past.
Unless the White House can work together with Congressional leaders on genuine, bipartisan reforms, any changes will be narrow and temporary, and will be more likely to face legal challenges. The serious problems of our broken system require more."
For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309 or Steven Cruz, 202-578-6173
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