Barletta Bill Protects Legal Workers from Obama Amnesty Crush

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today introduced legislation that protects people who are legally authorized to work in the United States by clarifying that illegal immigrants granted amnesty by executive action cannot be issued work permits.  The Defense of Legal Workers Act is in response to anticipated executive action by President Obama to shield millions of illegal immigrants already present in this country and create competition for scarce American jobs.

“The president has already said publicly 25 times that he doesn’t have the power to do what he is now going to do,” Barletta said.  “He’s planning to reward one illegal act with an illegal act of his own.  And he’s sticking his finger into the eyes of millions of legal residents who didn’t have a job this morning.”

The Defense of Legal Workers Act amends current law to clearly state that illegal immigrants granted amnesty by executive action are not authorized to work in the United States.  It leaves in place current processes by which people become legally present and authorized to work. 

“Everyone knows that when you apply for a job, you have to fill out that I-9 form and demonstrate that you’re legally eligible to work here,” Barletta said.  “The president wants to say that there are some people who just won’t have to worry about that.  That’s not fair to everyone who has followed our immigration laws and wants a job.”

The Obama Administration, through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency, has made preparations for a massive influx of newly legalized residents under his amnesty program by soliciting bids for as many as 34 million green cards and work permits over the next five years.  In 2013, the United States granted permanent resident status to approximately one million individuals and approved 1.5 million requests for employment authorization.  On October 30, 2014 Barletta wrote a letter to USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez asking detailed questions about what those plans entail.

“It’s obvious that the president has been planning to grant sweeping amnesty to many millions of illegal immigrants who will compete for American jobs, and the ordering of card stock to make identification cards was just laying the groundwork,” Barletta said.  “I want to make sure that the wave of amnesty grants does not swamp the millions of people who are legally here and already struggling to find work.  The timing of this makes it even worse – more competition for jobs right before Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Barletta has asked the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee to block the funding of the identification cards for illegal immigrants granted amnesty under the president’s plan.  Such an action would allow all other aspects of government to remain funded and functioning.

“Congress has the power of the purse, and we ought to use it,” Barletta said.  “This isn’t about shutting down the government; it’s about stopping a bad policy proposal by stopping its funding.”

Barletta also expressed concern about threats to national security in the wake of legalizing millions of people who will not be properly screened. 

“We have immigration laws for two basic reasons: to preserve national security and to protect American jobs.  The actions the president is contemplating violate both of those principles,” Barletta said.  “It will be impossible for the government to conduct background checks on millions of newly legalized residents, meaning adequate security screenings will never take place.”

Barletta was also critical of President Obama’s continued practice of circumventing Congress by implementing policies that have already been rejected by the people and their elected representatives.

“The president himself has repeatedly said that he does not possess the power to do what he proposes to do now,” Barletta said.  “If the president had wanted this outcome so badly, he could have sailed it through Congress when his party had complete control of the federal government during his first two years in office.”