Below is a statement from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas). 

 

Chairman Smith: “It’s disappointing several of my colleagues have intentionally taken a sentence in a letter several colleagues and I sent to the Clinton administration out of context.  This letter requested that the Immigration and Naturalization Service issue guidelines for removal proceedings in the most sympathetic cases involving legal – not illegal – immigrants.  The letter did not advocate for amnesty for illegal immigrants. 

 

“While this type of executive branch authority is justifiable when used responsibly on a case-by-case basis, it’s clear the Obama Administration plans not to use but to abuse these powers.  In recent years, Congress has defeated amnesty for illegal immigrants several times but this has not stopped President Obama from trying to implement a backdoor amnesty.  

 

“Over the course of the last year, the Obama administration has ignored the will of Congress and the American people by using executive branch authority to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S.  If the President gets his way, millions of illegal immigrants will be allowed to legally live and work in the U.S. without a vote of Congress. 

 

“That is why I have introduced a bill to prevent the Obama administration from abusing this power.  The actions taken by this Administration in the past two years demonstrate that they cannot be trusted to responsibly use executive branch authority.  The Obama administration should not pick and choose which laws it will enforce.  Congress must put a halt to this administrative amnesty.”

 

 

Jessica Baker

Press Secretary

House Judiciary Committee

Republican Staff