President Obama announced unilateral changes to America’s immigration policies today by use of executive orders. These orders will grant amnesty to at least 4 million people without a single vote in Congress.

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., who has opposed previous attempts at providing amnesty for illegal immigrants, opposes the president’s plan and said the president is acting outside of his authority.           

“By circumventing Congress on immigration and instituting his will through executive actions, President Obama is eroding the very foundation of our country and form of government,” said Enzi. “This sets a dangerous precedent where future presidents can flout any law they happen to disagree with and alter the law without going through Congress. Each branch of government is to act as a check against the others and not sit idly by as one exercises authority it does not have. A constitutional law professor should know that.”

Sidestepping the constitution should be an issue that both Republicans and Democrats can agree is not in the best interests of the nation, according to Enzi.

“The new Republican majority the American people just elected should not stand idle. I am an opponent of amnesty, but this is part of a much larger fight. We’ve seen the damage done over the past six years because of Obamacare and rogue agencies like the IRS and EPA. I will continue to fight executive overreach, including amnesty by executive order, whether by targeting rampant, unaccountable federal spending, working to reverse illegal executive orders with legitimate federal laws, or using the Congressional Review Act to reject the President’s actions. I will be looking closely at every option,” said Enzi.