WASHINGTON – Today at a press conference led by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04), Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) joined many House Democratic Colleagues in urging President Obama to use his broad legal authority to implement administrative reforms to improve key aspects of America’s broken immigration system.

“Republicans have refused every effort in Congress to fix our broken immigration system despite countless opportunities. In the face of Congressional inaction, like those before him, the President must act,” said Rep. John Conyers.

Spearheaded by Rep. Gutierrez and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Rep. Conyers and over 115 House Democrats issued a letter to President Obama urging him to exercise his power under existing law to prevent the separation of undocumented family members of U.S. citizens, lawful permeant residents, and deferred action beneficiaries. The letter also encourages the President to recognize undocumented farmworkers that face exploitation and abuse.

Last year, after substantial negotiations between a bipartisan group of 4 Democratic and 4 Republican Senators, the Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation that would have overhauled U.S. immigration law. If enacted, the bill would establish a fair pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants after undergoing several security measures before obtaining a green card, further secure our borders, and ensure that our nation’s economic needs could be met through improved visa programs. House Republicans have repeatedly blocked progress of this critical legislation by refusing to allow a vote on the bipartisan immigration reform bill.

“At this time, it is clear to me that the only path forward on immigration policy is through Executive action. I encourage the Obama Administration to move forward with bold, Executive action because it’s the right thing to do for the country,” added Rep. Conyers.

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Text of the letter to President Obama urging him to take “bold and meaningful” executive action is below:

November 13, 2014

Dear Mr. President:

It is most unfortunate that Republican leaders in the House refused to allow a vote on the bipartisan immigration reform bill the Senate passed last year. Even today, if Republican leaders allowed a vote, the bill would pass. But they won’t.

When Republicans blocked legislation, your pledge to use Presidential power under existing law to improve our immigration system gave us hope. Without such changes, our economy will continue to suffer and families in our communities will continue to be torn apart.

Although we were very disappointed when you postponed action until after the November election, we were encouraged last week when you reaffirmed your promise to act before the end of the year.

We hope that your actions will prevent the separation of undocumented family members of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and DACA beneficiaries and offer protection to others who have long worked in the United States and have established strong ties with our communities. We similarly hope that you will recognize that undocumented farmworkers are “essential for agriculture” and that our country would benefit greatly if they were permitted to work in our fields without fear. We further hope that you will reform our immigration enforcement efforts to make them more sensible and humane.

Bold and meaningful executive action will provide a boost to our national and local economies. It will strengthen communities and promote family unity. It will help the government focus limited enforcement resources on those who pose a true danger to the public. And by providing an opportunity for millions of undocumented immigrants to register with the government—provide detailed biographic information, undergo criminal background checks, demonstrate continuing compliance with tax laws—it will protect American and immigrant workers alike by reducing the threat of exploitation and abuse.

The legal authority for taking executive action is clear and substantial. Just two years ago, the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts reaffirmed that the administration retains “broad discretion” to decide “whether it makes sense to pursue removal at all.” Arizona v. United States, 132 S.Ct. 2492, 2499 (2012). And executive action in this area is anything but unprecedented. In fact, every past President starting from President Dwight D. Eisenhower more than half a century ago has used such authority when dealing with similar issues regarding the national interest.

Like us, you have heard Republicans warn that any actions you take will “poison the well” and prevent them from using their upcoming majority in the Senate to address our broken immigration system. However, for the past two years it was not Senate Democrats that blocked much-needed legislation, it was House Republicans. That obstacle to sensible immigration reform still remains. Let us also not forget that congressional Republicans previously blocked reform in 2006 and 2007.

As you said last week, “What we can’t do is just keep on waiting. There’s a cost for waiting.” That cost is measured in the tens of thousands of parents of U.S. citizen children who are deported each year. It is measured in the emotional price children and DACA recipients pay worrying about whether their parents will come home at the end of the day. Our national security suffers whenever we spend precious enforcement resources on hardworking immigrant families, rather than on criminals and those who mean our communities harm. And American workers’ wages and working conditions are consistently undermined as long as millions of immigrant workers are working in the shadows and off the books. We agree with you, Mr. President. We can no longer afford to wait.

As you have said, it is ultimately the job of Congress to reform our broken immigration system by enacting legislation. But by failing to do their job—and repeatedly interfering with your efforts to do your job—congressional Republicans threaten to take our immigration system hostage and preserve a status quo that everyone agrees is unacceptable. Their failure to act must not inhibit your commitment to governing.

We will stand with you as you take bold and meaningful action, consistent with existing law and historical precedent, to protect American families, strengthen local communities and grow the economy.

Sincerely,

1. Karen Bass

2. Earl Blumenauer

3. Suzanne Bonamici

4. Tony Cárdenas

5. Joaquin Castro

6. Judy Chu

7. David Cicilline

8. Katherine Clark

9. Yvette Clarke

10. Wm. Lacy Clay

11. Emanuel Cleaver

12. James Clyburn

13. Steve Cohen

14. John Conyers, Jr.

15. Jim Costa

16. Joseph Crowley

17. Elijah Cummings

18. Danny Davis

19. Susan Davis

20. Diana DeGette

21. Rosa DeLauro

22. Suzan DelBene

23. Theodore Deutch

24. Lloyd Doggett

25. Tammy Duckworth

26. Donna Edwards

27. Keith Ellison

28. Eliot Engel

29. Anna C. Eshoo

30. Sam Farr

31. Chaka Fattah

32. Bill Foster

33. Marcia Fudge

34. Joe Garcia

35. Alan Grayson

36. Al Green

37. Gene Green

38. Raul Grijalva

39. Luis Gutierrez

40. Janice Hahn

41. Alcee Hastings

42. Ruben Hinojosa

43. Rush Holt

44. Michael Honda

45. Steny Hoyer

46. Jared Huffman

47. Sheila Jackson Lee

48. Hakeem Jeffries

49. Hank Johnson

50. Marcy Kaptur

51. Robin Kelly

52. Joseph P. Kennedy, III

53. John B. Larson

54. Barbara Lee

55. Sander Levin

56. John Lewis

57. Zoe Lofgren

58. Alan Lowenthal

59. Ben Ray Luján

60. Carolyn Maloney

61. Doris O. Matsui

62. Betty McCollum

63. Jim McDermott

64. James P. McGovern

65. Jerry McNerney

66. Gregory Meeks

67. Grace Meng

68. George Miller

69. Gwen Moore

70. James P. Moran

71. Jerrold Nadler

72. Grace Napolitano

73. Gloria Negrete McLeod

74. Eleanor Holmes Norton

75. Beto O’Rourke

76. Frank Pallone

77. Bill Pascrell

78. Donald Payne, Jr.

79. Ed Perlmutter

80. Scott Peters

81. Pedro Pierluisi

82. Chellie Pingree

83. Mark Pocan

84. Jared Polis

85. Mike Quigley

86. Charles Rangel

87. Lucille Roybal-Allard

88. Bobby Rush

89. Linda Sanchez

90. Loretta Sanchez

91. Janice Schakowsky

92. Adam Schiff

93. Bradley S. Schneider

94. Kurt Schrader

95. Allyson Y. Schwartz

96. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott

97. Jose Serrano

98. Terri A. Sewell

99. Albio Sires

100. Adam Smith

101. Jackie Speier

102. Eric Swalwell

103. Mark Takano

104. Mike Thompson

105. Dina Titus

106. Paul Tonko

107. Chris Van Hollen

108. Juan Vargas

109. Nydia Velazquez

110. Marc A. Veasey

111. Filemon Vela

112. Maxine Waters

113. Henry Waxman

114. Peter Welch

115. Frederica Wilson

116. John Yarmuth

Stephanie Báez | Communications Director

House Judiciary Committee – Democratic Staff

202-225-6906