Boustany: Stop Executive Amnesty Now

Press Release

Dr. Charles Boustany (R-Lafayette) issued the following statement after supporting an amicus brief resolutionon the United States v. Texas immigration case to be argued before the Supreme Court in April. The resolution authorizes the Speaker of the House to file an amicus brief in the Court formally opposing the President's executive amnesty. The brief will be filed on behalf of the entire House of Representatives.

On November 20, 2014, President Obama announcedhe was taking a number of actions to increase protections for illegal aliens, including an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and creation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program, which would allow illegal alien parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents deferred deportation protections and enable them to legally work in the U.S. These actions would affect around 5 million illegal aliens who currently reside in the United States.

In response, over 25 states or state officials, including Louisiana, have filed suit against the Administration's actions on the grounds that they exceed the scope of executive authority. An injunction preventing the executive actions from being implemented was issued after a federal district court found that the states' case has legal footing. That finding was upheld by a federal appeals court and the injunction currently remains in place. Administration officials subsequently appealed the lower courts' decisions to the Supreme Court, where the justices will consider whether or not the Administration failed to abide by the Take Care Clause of the Constitution.

Boustany said: "This President has shown complete and utter disregard for the Constitution with his executive actions on immigration. Instead of working with Congress to address our critical border security problems, he has worked around Congress in direct violation of the law to accomplish his own goals. The courts have already placed an injunction on the President's unlawful actions, stopping their implementation. We must not allow the President to circumvent the law and implement amnesty."

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