10/28/2015

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IsObama'sImmigrationExecutiveOrderLegal?

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Home >DebateClub >IsObama'sImmigrationExecutiveOrderLegal?

IsObama'sImmigrationExecutiveOrder
Legal?
Inaspeechlastnight,PresidentBarackObamaannouncedaseries
ofexecutiveordersthatwillprotectupto5millionundocumented
personsfromdeportation."ThereareactionsIhavethelegal
authoritytotakeaspresidentthesamekindsofactionstakenby
DemocraticandRepublicanpresidentsbeforemethatwillhelpmakeourimmigrationsystemmore
fairandmorejust,"Obamasaid.Underthepresident'splan,certainundocumentedpersons
includingthosewhohavechildrenwhoareU.S.citizensorlegalresidentswillhavetheopportunityto
receiveworkdocuments.Hedidnotextendprotectionfromdeportationtotheparentsofchildrenwho
arebenefitingfromhisearlierprogramaimedatsocalled"Dreamers"(youngpeoplewhowere
broughttothecountryillegallyaschildren).
Republicanlawmakersandotherconservativestookthepresidenttotaskforactingunilaterally,
claiminghedoesnothavetheauthoritytoadvancesuchmeasuresintheabsenceofcongressional
action."TheAmericanpeoplewantbothpartiestofocusonsolvingproblemstogethertheydont
supportunilateralactionfromapresidentwhoismoreinterestedinpartisanpoliticsthanworkingwith
thepeopleselectedrepresentatives.ThatisnothowAmericandemocracyworks,"saidSpeakerofthe
HouseJohnBoehner.HouseJudiciaryCommitteeChairmanBobGoodlatte,RVa.,added,"The
presidentsdecisiontorecklesslyforgeaheadwithaplantounilaterallychangeourimmigrationlaws
ignoresthewilloftheAmericanpeopleandfloutstheConstitution."
KentuckySen.MitchMcConnell,whowillbecomemajorityleaderinJanuary,saidontheSenatefloor,
"theplan[Obamais]presentingismorethanjust,asthepresidenthimselfhasacknowledged,an
overreachitsalsounfair."Boehner'soffice,asU.S.News'PeterRoffnoted,highlightedmorethan20
timesinwhichthepresidentsaidhedidnothaveordidnotwanttouseexecutiveauthoritytoadvance
immigrationreform.Sen.RandPaul,RKy.,opinedthattheHouseshouldtaketheinitialstepstosue
Obamaoverthemove.
ButDemocratsrosetothepresident'sdefense,sayinghisactionsarewellwithintheboundsofhis
office'spowers."PresidentObamaisdoingwhathecanwithinhiswellestablishedconstitutional
authority,"saidSenateMajorityLeaderHarryReidofNevada."Thepresidentsactionsfallwellwithin
theclearconstitutionalandlegalauthorityofhisoffice,andthewellestablishedprecedentsetbyevery
presidentsinceEisenhower,"saidHouseMinorityLeaderNancyPelosi.EvenformerPresidentBill
Clintonweighedin,sayingonWednesday,"AsfarasIcantell,everypresidentinthemodernerahas
issuedsomeexecutiveactiononimmigration.SoIimaginehellbeonprettyfirmlegalground."
SoisObama'simmigrationexecutiveorderlegal?HereistheDebateClub'stake:

TheArguments

http://www.usnews.com/debateclub/isobamasimmigrationexecutiveorderlegal

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10/28/2015

IsObama'sImmigrationExecutiveOrderLegal?
YESObamaIsJustDoingHisJob

#1

512.0
MarshallFitzisdirectorofimmigrationpolicyattheCenterforAmerican

187.0
Pts

325.0

#2

465.0

Progress.

NOGovernmentbyExecutiveFiat
DerrickMorganisavicepresidentofTheHeritageFoundation,wherehe

130.0
Pts

335.0

#3

210.0

leadstheInstituteforEconomicFreedomandOpportunity.

NOCynicalPolitickingHasTrumpedPolicy
TamarJacobyispresidentofImmigrationWorksUSA.

50.0
Pts

260.0

#4

162.0

106.0
Pts

268.0

MAYBEBadLawsLeadtoBadExecutiveOrders
AlexNowrastehistheimmigrationpolicyanalystattheCatoInstitute's
CenterforGlobalLibertyandProsperity.

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