Mica's Word

Mica’s Response to President’s Immigration Executive Order

Unfortunately while the American people wanted us to work together, the President has taken unilateral action regarding illegal aliens that only further divides the Congress and the American people.  As the grandson of law-abiding and hardworking legal immigrants, I believe this executive order diminishes respect for the law and will only encourage more people in the future to violate our borders.

Today, we know what President Obama has done.  In the past, this is what the President has said:

President Obama, June 16, 2013 (asked by Univision if he could use executive power to legalize millions of illegal immigrants if the House didn’t pass the Senate bill):

“…very important for us to recognize that the way to solve this problem has to be legislative.”

President Obama, September 28, 2011 (remarks to Hispanic Roundtable):

“…this notion that somehow I can just change the laws unilaterally is just not true.  But the fact of the matter is there are laws on the books that I have to enforce.  We live in a democracy.  You have to pass bills through the legislature…”

President Obama, March 28, 2011 (Univision):

“…for me to simply through an executive order, ignore those Congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President.”

President Obama, January 30, 2013 (asked by Univision if he would consider a moratorium on deportations of illegal immigrants without a criminal record):

“I am not a king. I am head of the Executive Branch of government.  I am required to follow the law.”

President Obama, February 2013 (asked during a Google Hangout if he could unilaterally stop enforcing the law against illegal immigrants with American family members):

“I am not the emperor of the United States.  My job is to execute laws that are passed.”

Be assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to address our nation's immigration crisis.

Sincerely,

John L. Mica
Member of Congress