President Obama Plans To Take Executive Action On Immigration Reform

Obama To Announce Package Of Executive Actions On Immigration Reform. President Obama intends to announce plans before the end of 2014 to enforce changes to the country's immigration system. The New York Times reported that the plans would protect as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants “from the threat of deportation and provide many of them with work permits.” Under the new plan, deportations will continue for convicted criminals as well as “foreigners who pose national security risks and recent border crossers.” Obama has made clear that he will reverse his executive orders if Congress passes a comprehensive immigration reform bill:

Asserting his authority as president to enforce the nation's laws with discretion, Mr. Obama intends to order changes that will significantly refocus the activities of the government's 12,000 immigration agents. One key piece of the order, officials said, will allow many parents of children who are American citizens or legal residents to obtain legal work documents and no longer worry about being discovered, separated from their families and sent away.

Extending protections to more undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and to their parents, could affect an additional one million or more if they are included in the final plan that the president announces. White House officials are also still debating whether to include protections for farm workers who have entered the country illegally but have been employed for years in the agriculture industry, a move that could affect hundreds of thousands of people.

Mr. Obama's actions will also expand opportunities for legal immigrants who have high-tech skills, shift extra security resources to the nation's southern border, revamp a controversial immigration enforcement program called Secure Communities, and provide clearer guidance to the agencies that enforce immigration laws about who should be a low priority for deportation, especially those with strong family ties and no serious criminal history. [The New York Times, 11/13/14]

Fox Floats Impeachment, Defunding The Government, Lawsuits, And Blocking Presidential Appointments To “Punish” Obama Over Executive Action

Megyn Kelly Floats Impeachment Over Executive Action: “Some Say Republicans Have No Choice.” On the November 13 edition of Fox News' The Kelly File, host Megyn Kelly suggested that “some say Republicans have no choice” but to impeach President Obama if he issues executive action on immigration reform. Fox contributor Charles Krauthammer agreed, saying Obama's executive action is “an impeachable offense.” Kelly went on to advise Republicans on legal options to “thwart President Obama's executive action,” suggesting impeachment again, and adding a lawsuit, cutting off the funds needed to carry out the executive order, and holding up Obama's judicial and other appointments. [Fox News, The Kelly File, 11/13/14].

Bill O'Reilly Highlights GOP Option To Punish Obama For Executive Action By “Paralyzing The Government.” On the November 13 edition of The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly claimed that President Obama is “declaring war on the Republican Party” with his immigration executive action and highlighted Republicans' option to block an upcoming spending bill, “paralyzing the government” along with “a number of other things the Republican Party may to do punish the president.”  [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 11/13/14]  

Lou Dobbs Hypes Republican Threat To Defund Government To Block Obama's Presidential “Fiat.” On the November 13 edition of Fox Business' Lou Dobbs Tonight, host Dobbs hyped Republican threats to “use the upcoming government funding bill debate to block the president's executive action,” calling Obama's immigration overhaul “evidence of his unilateral, even occasionally authoritarian inclination.” [Fox Business, Lou Dobbs Tonight, 11/13/14]

Krauthammer: GOP Should Block Executive Nominations Until Obama's Actions Are Repealed. On the November 13 edition of Special Report, Fox contributor Charles Krauthammer advised Republicans against shutting down the government, suggesting instead that they block all executive nominations until President Obama repeals his executive order. [Fox News, Special Report with Bret Baier, 11/13/14] 

Megyn Kelly Floats Defunding Department Of Justice To Block Executive Action. On the November 12 edition of The Kelly File, Kelly floated the option of defunding the Department of Justice to block Obama's immigration executive action, asking Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) if he would be willing to do so. [Fox News, The Kelly File, 11/12/14]