Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, said President Obama’s move to shield nearly 5 million illegal immigrants from deportation is “just dangerous” for anyone concerned about liberty.

“You know, one of the groups most hurt by what the president did this week are legal immigrants — people who’ve waited years, paid thousands of dollars, who followed the rules,” Mr. Cruz said Monday on “Fox and Friends.” “And the president said, never mind that. What we’re going to do instead is we’re going to open the doors — this action is going to lead to more illegal immigration, which is going to hurt legal immigrants. It’s going to hurt African-Americans. It’s going to hurt working men and women. And for anyone concerned about liberty, it’s just dangerous.”

Under Mr. Obama’s plan, illegal immigrants who have been in the country at least five years and have a child who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident can apply for legal status.

Mr. Cruz, who is calling for Senate Republicans to halt Mr. Obama’s nominees next year except critical national security appointments as long as the immigration policy is in place, said “you’d have to debate” whether the attorney general falls into that category. Mr. Obama has put forward U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch as his pick to replace outgoing Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.

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