• info@belibre.org

Litigation on Executive Action Shows Need for Legislative Reform

PRINTABLE VERSION 

Litigation on Executive Action Shows Need for Legislative Reform 

(Washington, D.C.) – Over 200 members of Congress have filed an Amicus Brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in advance of oral arguments in the case of The United States of America v. the State of Texas. The United States government is appealing a lower court ruling, which put a hold on President’s Obama executive order on Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). Before issuing the order that created the DAPA program, President Obama said many times that he lacked the legal authority to make these changes, unless Congress acted first. However, the amicus brief claims that he was within his power to do so, due to inaction from Congress in the last seven years. 

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:

“The president’s move to address the border crisis through executive order – and not legislation – was always the wrong approach, fraught with legal uncertainty, and he knew it. On numerous occasions he affirmed he could not act without Congress, and today – predictably – there is a strong chance the court will throw out this program. This unilateral approach is a reckless and irresponsible risk, and it is now the millions of immigrants dependent on the program who face an uncertain future because of his ill-advised half-measures. We need a more durable solution, and Congress has a responsibility to act. 

Despite his promises, President Obama didn’t even address the issue of immigration when his party had control of both the House and Senate. Now we see a leader who has failed to bring Congress together and achieve consensus to fix our broken immigration system. Instead he relies on executive orders that may help him politically, which are limited and temporary to the families that need a solution most. Our community deserves better, and especially those who are most vulnerable. And we hope that those Members of Congress defending this executive order willinstead lead on actual legislative reform.”

For Interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact Brian Faughnan, 703-678-4581 or Josh Rivera, 202-763-4428

###