The Democrats have a message for Republicans they view as hysterical over President Obama’s plan to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants: “Take a deep breath.”
It came in an email and webpage from the Democratic National Committee that mocked Republicans for having a fit over Obama’s still unseen plans.
The GOP Needs to Take A Deep Breath
Republicans are threatening to shut down the government, to hold up confirmation of nominees during the 114th Congress, and to use taxpayer time and money to sue the President.
The reason? An executive action that has not yet been announced and that they have not seen.
While the GOP continues to sit on their hands and do nothing we can expect their hysteria around executive action on immigration will continue, so let’s take a look at some facts:
“In taking executive action on immigration, President Obama would be following in the footsteps of every U.S. president since 1956. Since Dwight D. Eisenhower, every president has granted temporary immigration relief to one or more groups in need of assistance.”- American Immigration Council
“Two of the last three Republican presidents — Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush — did the same thing in extending amnesty to family members who were not covered by the last major overhaul of immigration law in 1986. There was no political explosion then comparable to the one Republicans are threatening now.” [Associated Press, 11/17/14]
Here are just a few examples of previous executive actions taken by Democratic and Republican Presidents on immigration:
• In 2002 President George W. Bush signed an executive order to expedite the naturalization for legal permanent residents who enlisted in the military.
• President George W. Bush extended the stay for up to 150,000 Salvadorans as a result of earthquakes in El Salvador
• In 1993 President Bill Clinton granted an 18-month extension to a deferred action program for Salvadoran immigrants who fled the country during the civil war.
• In 1990, George H.W. Bush used it to protect Chinese students who feared persecution.
• In 1987, President Reagan used it to ease immigration standards for 200,000 Nicaraguan exiles in the U.S.
And legal experts support executive action:
• The Supreme Court ruled that the Executive Branch had “broad discretion” in setting deportation policy.
• Washington University in St. Louis law professor Stephen Legomsky argued that the executive action on immigration President Obama is considering would parallel action Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush took.
• UCLA law professor Hiroshi Motomura argued that President Obama had the legal authority to set priorities for immigration enforcement.
It’s clear that the Republican claims of overreach are completely baseless. But the reality is that it is their failure to step up and pass permanent common sense immigration reform that is the real amnesty and the reason executive action is even on the table.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
