Rigell Votes to Rein in President's 'Unprecedented' Executive Overreach

Statement

Today Congressman Scott Rigell (VA-02) voted for and the House passed H.R. 5759, the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act, to block the President's executive order granting temporary amnesty to more than five million illegal immigrants living in the United States. The Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act would also bar the President from using future executive orders or similar actions to defer deportation of illegal immigrants. The Administration would further be barred from providing legal status to illegal immigrants. Congressman Rigell issued the following statement:

"President Obama made clear on at least 20 occasions that he does not have the constitutional authority to change our immigration laws unilaterally. Clearly, he was referring to the kind of broad, unconstitutional executive order that he recently issued, and which has created this constitutional crisis.

"My principle concern is the damage the President has done to the proper balance of powers between the Legislative and Executive branches of government. The United States Constitution makes clear in Article 1, Section 8 that Congress maintains the authority "to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers,' including the power to "establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization,' while Article 2, Section 3 states that the President "shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.'

"In issuing his broad executive order, changing the status of an estimated five million illegal immigrants, President Obama took upon himself authority not granted to him, or to any president. As recently as today, the Washington Post called President Obama's executive actions "unprecedented,' noting that "the scale of Mr. Obama's move goes far beyond anything his predecessors attempted.'

"Further, the President's actions reinforce the harmful narrative that, "if you can get here, you can stay here,' thus incentivizing more pressure on our borders."

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