St. Joseph News-Press - Senators Object to Immigration Action

News Article

By Ken Newton

Republican senators from Missouri and Kansas did not wait to hear President Obama's address to the nation Thursday night outlining an immigration directive.

Prior to the speech, they had their objections in place.

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt and Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran expressed doubts that Mr. Obama has the authority to change the status of undocumented residents without lawmakers lending a hand.

"I still haven't found that section of the Constitution that says if the Congress fails to do this, the president can do it on his own," Mr. Blunt said. "I'm pretty sure the president hasn't found that, either."

The Missouri Republican, speaking to home-state reporters on a conference call, said executive action would create not only constitutional uncertainty, but uncertainty among the affected immigrants.

"If you're here only because an executive order says you can be here, that only gives you the certainty you need until another executive decides to change the executive order," Mr. Blunt said.

Mr. Moran said he was "deeply concerned" about the president offering amnesty to millions of people in the country without proper documents. The Kansan insisted the president stated repeatedly in the past that he lacked the standing to change immigration laws unilaterally.

"The president is choosing to allow 5 million people to jump the line in front of those who have followed the rules and are waiting to come to our country legally," Mr. Moran said. "This irresponsible decision encourages and incentivizes illegal activity."

Some Republican lawmakers, though not Sens. Blunt or Moran, suggested that members of Congress could dial back any executive order by withholding appropriations for its enforcement.

But the office of Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers, a Kentucky Republican, said Thursday that funding of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services comes from immigration application fees, not from the budget approved by Congress.

Some interest groups also got word out early of their positions on an intended presidential action.

"The president's plan will give many of these families the security of knowing they can stay together, and it will bring many workers out of the shadow economy, ensuring higher wages for all," said Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers president. "We must unite, not divide, families."

Source