Congressman Issa on Immigration Supreme Court Arguments Today

Statement

As arguments kick off at the Supreme Court in United States v. Texas, a Supreme Court case challenging whether or not President Obama's 2014 executive actions on immigration are Constitutional, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement:

"The Constitution couldn't be any clearer. It's Congress's job to write the laws and it's the President's job to see that they are faithfully executed." said Congressman Darrell Issa. "The President can't just upend the Constitution any time the Congress disagrees with him. The Separation of Powers requires the President to seek congressional approval before policies can become law. That's how the legislative process works and it is one of the things that distinguishes democracy from dictatorship, where a head of state simply rules by decree. President Obama doesn't get to cheat the system just because it's difficult."

"What this case comes down to is whether or not President Obama wildly overstepped the bounds of his office by unlawfully acting to circumvent Congress and forcing his will on the American people. I am confident the Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution and affirm that Congress -- not the President -- makes our laws."

BACKGROUND

November 20, 2014 -- President Obama announced unilateral changes to the nation's immigration laws, allowing potentially millions of unlawful immigrants to stay in the United States without a vote of Congress.

Before taking executive action on immigration, President Obama stated 22 times that he does not have the authority to change immigration laws on his own.

December 2014 -- numerous states, led by the State of Texas, filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging President Obama's executive overreach on immigration.

February 17, 2015 -- a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked President Obama's unilateral immigration actions.

November 10, 2015 -- the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction preventing President Obama's executive overreach on immigration from being implemented. Following this decision, the Supreme Court announced that it would take up the case.

March 17, 2016 -- the House approved H. Res. 639, a resolution allowing the Speaker to file a brief on behalf of the House of Representatives defending Congress' Article I powers to write our nation's laws.

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