President Obama’s decision to go it alone on immigration, granting legal status to more than 5 million illegal immigrants, brought a sharp rebuke from North Carolina Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation and its executive branch, while Democrats in the delegation gave Obama a pass, sayings Congress has had plenty of time to act on the issue.
Some of the sharpest opposition came from 9th District Republican Rep. Robert Pittenger, who told Carolina Journal Obama was on a course to “rule as a monarch.”
“The president,” Pittenger said, “doesn’t care what the Congress thinks.”
Pittenger said Obama’s actions are “an affront to the American people and an egregious violation to our Constitution.” He added that while the president has the authority to enforce the law, he is not empowered to make the law.
Spokesmen for both GOP Sen. Richard Burr and Sen.-elect Thom Tillis expressed opposition to Obama’s move.
“Sen. Burr does not support any executive orders by the president which will give amnesty to those here in violation of our laws and believes any immigration policy changes need to be passed by Congress, not through executive action,” said Rachel Hicks, Burr’s spokeswoman.
“Like the vast majority of North Carolinians, Sen.-elect Tillis opposes executive action on immigration,” said Tillis spokesman Daniel Keylin. “President Obama should be working with both parties to secure our nation’s borders instead of working around Congress and ignoring the will of the American people.”
Democrats praise move
Democratic members to Congress see the action differently.
“I support the president’s decision to use executive action to expand temporary protections to certain undocumented immigrants,” said 1st District Rep. G.K. Butterfield. “This is the right thing to do and is the first step in fixing our broken immigration system. The president’s action will keep families together and bring millions out of the shadows to openly contribute to our society and economy.”
Butterfield also called on his Republican colleagues to pass comprehensive immigration reform. “Let’s commit to finishing the job, and permanently fix our immigration system,” Butterfield said.
Newly elected 12th District Rep. Alma Adams, also a Democrat, expressed similar sentiments.
“I applaud the president for using his executive authority to address our broken immigration system,” Adams said. “It has been over 500 days since the Senate overwhelmingly passed bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform and the House has yet to act.” Adams added that she hopes Obama’s action will spur House Republicans to bring forward bipartisan immigration reform measures.
Rep. David Price, D-4th District, said, “I welcome President Obama’s immigration reform announcement, which will finally free from the specter of deportation millions of Americans who contribute positively to their communities.”
Price said he was pleased that Obama’s order strengthens enforcement for violent criminals. He said the order should not be interpreted as a substitute for congressional action.
“We must always remember that we are a nation of immigrants, and I commend the president for using his executive authority to correct broken immigration policies that have persisted for too long and are doing our country great damage,” Price said.
‘Divisive gimmick’
Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-10th, the party’s chief deputy whip, said Obama is “pursuing divisive political gimmicks” rather than sound policy, adding that his unilateral action does nothing to fix the broken immigration system.
“In fact, it makes the situation worse,” McHenry said. “If the president were actually committed to getting something done, he would work with Congress to find a bipartisan solution that secures our nation’s borders and builds an immigration system that works for the countless law-abiding people who wish to realize the American dream. Instead he has chosen an unconstitutional executive action opposed by the majority of Americans, an action which congressional Republicans will use the powers we possess to block.”
Rep. Walter Jones, R-3rd, took to Twitter to denounce Obama’s action. “Defund and impeach — these are the constitutional options to deal with a president who repeatedly ignores the law,” Jones tweeted (@RepWalterJones).
“The issue, after the president’s address [Thursday night], is no longer whether Congress and the president can agree on an immigration policy,” said Rep. George Holding, R-13th. “The question is: Does a president have the power to alter laws without passing new statutes?”
Holding said that throughout the nation’s history, the answer has been no, adding that Obama struck a blow at the nation’s checks-and-balances system.
“Whether you are Democrat or Republican, whether you agree or disagree with the president’s policy on immigration, you cannot agree with his actions — no man has the power to be both president and legislator,” Holding said.
Republican Mark Meadows, who represents the 11th District, said Obama was being “lawless.”
“President Obama’s decision to utterly bypass Congress and grant amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants — against the will of the American people — is lawless, unconstitutional, and frankly, un-American,” Meadows said. “The separation of powers was carefully written into our Constitution by our Founders to ensure that no one individual would have the power to override the will of the American people.”
Meadows said that Obama’s decision to grant amnesty now rather than wait for the new Congress shows that he’s “interested in politics, not real solutions.”
“I am outraged at the president’s irresponsible ‘my way or no way’ approach to this important issue,” said 8th District GOP Rep. Richard Hudson. “By bypassing Congress, President Obama is disrespecting our Constitution and ignoring the American people who demanded that leaders in Washington work together to solve the problems facing our nation.”
Hudson said securing the border is a prerequisite to meaningful immigration reform. “I will do everything in my power to block the administration’s illegal amnesty policies and remain committed to working with my colleagues to secure our borders and fix our broken immigration system,” he said.
Second District GOP Rep. Renee Ellmers said she’s ready to work with both parties to secure the border and fix the immigration system, but didn’t like Obama going it alone.
“Obama’s recurring top-down style of leadership is no way to build trust among the American people, and acting unilaterally does nothing to facilitate an inclusive and bipartisan solution for a problem of this magnitude,” Ellmers said.
Fifth District GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx said immigration reform must be done carefully and with public input.
“President Obama does not have the legal authority to legislate, and his unilateral actions in immigration are a blatant overreach of his constitutionally granted executive authority,” Foxx said. “The president claims to believe in the Constitution, but his actions [Thursday night] demonstrate otherwise.”
Foxx continued, “it is Congress’ responsibility to pursue reforms and build consensus toward a strong immigration policy that begins with border security.”
“North Carolina, like most of America, spoke with a clear voice earlier this month and rejected President Obama’s policies and go-it-alone style,” said 6th District GOP Rep.-elect Mark Walker. “However, it seems the president is oblivious to the will of the American people. He has become increasingly defiant and is rejecting a bipartisan approach to immigration reform.”
Walker also called Obama’s action an “egregious act” that will divide the American people. “The president has willfully rejected his oath to uphold the Constitution and enforce the laws of the United States and assumed, in the executive, the powers and duties of the legislative branch,” he said.
“The American people know that the president’s actions to single-handedly change immigration law is a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution,” said Rep.-elect David Rouzer, R-7th. “Only Congress, whose members are duly elected by the people, has the authority to make, change or repeal laws — and for very good reason. It is a shameful practice that he has perfected.”
State officials react
Gov. Pat McCrory and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, both Republicans, also weighed in on the issue.
“I’m already discussing with other governors a long-term solution to immigration reform as well as an appropriate legal response to this unconstitutional overreach of the White House,” McCrory said. “North Carolina is not a border state, but it’s impacted by illegal immigration. I’m extremely concerned about the potentially negative impact of this executive order on our public schools, health services, and public safety.”
Forest called the move “one of the most dangerous power plays in American history,” and said in a statement, “the emperor has no clothes.”
“He used power not given to him in the Constitution,” Forest said. “In doing so, he revealed to the world that he now sees himself as above the law. Unless the Congress stands up and uses every tool at their disposal to block this move, rest assured an emperor has been created.”
Barry Smith (@Barry_Smith) is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.