Goodlatte Statement on Expansion of President’s Unilateral Immigration Program

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) made the statement below following the announcement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that it will begin accepting applications for the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program on Feb. 18, 2015:  
“The American people have spoken loud and clear that they don’t want President Obama to change our immigration laws on his own. Unfortunately, President Obama is stubbornly forging ahead with his plan, ignoring both the constitutional limits placed on his authority and the will of the American people. Additionally, President Obama has gutted what few requirements he originally placed on deferred action applicants, opening the program up to even more fraud and abuse.
 
“While many in Congress want to reform our nation’s immigration system, the President does not have the authority to change the law himself. President Obama’s reckless abandonment of the rule of law poses a danger to our Constitution. Congress must fight the President’s actions, including taking legal action so that we restore the separation of powers and protect individual liberty. It’s imperative that we send the strong message that these actions cannot and will not be tolerated.”

Among the many changes made to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, President Obama has extended the deferred action period and employment authorization from two years to three years, dropped the upper age requirement, and changed the continuously present requirement from June 15, 2007 to January 1, 2010.