During a floor debate Wednesday inside the House of Representatives, Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio., quoted all 22 times President Obama said he couldn’t use executive action on immigration.
Boehner and House Republicans have long argued that Obama doesn’t have the authority to make sweeping changes to the country’s immigration system without proper authority from Congress. Caught up in the political fight is the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that would execute many of the president’s plans under his executive order.
Last Friday, Republicans introduced a $39.7 billion bill that would fund the Department of Homeland Security through September. However, lawmakers were expected to attach amendments that would prevent immigration authorities from using funds for Obama’s recent executive orders.
The White House has made clear it will veto any legislation aimed at taking down the president’s executive orders.
