President Barack Obama is planning to announce a set of executive actions at the end of the summer, meant to help stem the flow of illegal immigrants, including unaccompanied children, across the southern border. “I won’t twiddle my thumbs” Obama said regarding the Congress’ lack of action.
However 70% percent of Americans, believe illegal immigrants threaten traditional U.S. beliefs and customs, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The Congress didn’t agree with Obama’s broad immigration reforms, so The President might as well act alone on this one, and give work permits to up to 5 million undocumented immigrants and also delay some deportations.
“We’re going to make sure that every time we take one of these steps that we are working within the confines of my executive power, but I promise you the American people don’t want me just standing around twiddling my thumbs and waiting for Congress to get something done,” he said.
Immigration has really become more of a serious issue in recent months because of intense media coverage of a surge of illegal migrants, including tens of thousands of children, who flooded from Central America to the U.S.
Meanwhile activists have planned almost 30 events supporting immigration reform in more than 15 states, including a march in New York on August 26 and another in front of the White House on August 28. They also accuse the Republican majority in the House of Representatives for going on vacation without having moved forward with an immigration reform bill or approving funds to deal with the current crisis.
On the other hand the Republicans have previously accused the president of abusing his presidential authority, and the House has initiated a lawsuit against him regarding his use of executive actions surrounding the implementation of the health care law, for instance. Republicans in Congress have therefore alleged that Mr. Obama has exceeded his constitutional authority on numerous occasions, illegally bypassing Congress.
“House Republicans suggested that since they don’t expect to pass a bill I can sign, that I should go ahead and act on my own to solve the problem,” Obama said last week during a news conference regarding US Speaker John Boehner’s refusal to take up immigration reform in the Republican-led House.
At the news conference ending the Washington summit with African leaders, the president said he had chosen to act unilaterally because of gridlock within Congress and the House of Representatives in particular.
“The broader point is that if, in fact, House Republicans are concerned about me acting independently of Congress — despite the fact that I’ve taken fewer executive actions than my Republican predecessor or my Democratic predecessor before that, or the Republican predecessor before that — then the easiest way to solve it is passing legislation. Get things done,” Obama said last week.
