Hoyer Doesn't Say Where Constitution Authorizes Obama Not to Enforce Immigration Law

CNSNews ^ | December 2, 2014 | Ali Meyer

[jazusamo]

House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's annual public policy conference on Sept. 30, 2014 in Washington, D.C. (CNSNews.com/Penny Starr

(CNSNews.com) -- At a press briefing on Tuesday, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said that President Obama had "broad authority" to take unilateral action on immigration but failed to directly answer a question asking him where specifically the Constitution authorized President Obama to unilaterally decided not to enforce immigration laws.

CNSNews.com asked Hoyer: “The Constitution requires that the president ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ Where specifically in the Constitution does it give the president the power not to enforce immigration laws against 5 million violators of that law?”

Hoyer did not point to any specific provision of the Constitution, but said that Obama had authority because "president have broad authority to deal with implementation" of immigration law.

Hoyer said: “Well, your question is: Do I think the president has the authority to do what he did, and the answer to that is, yes I do. I believe the legal precedents are pretty clear under President Bush and under President Reagan and President Clinton, both President Bush’s actions have been taken. Presidents have broad authority to deal with the implementation of the immigration statute and I think what the president has done falls within his authority to do so, and I know there’s a hearing in the House today about that.”

“Congress has a responsibility to act,” Hoyer said. “When you have the speaker, former majority leader, the present majority leader, and almost everybody that I hear talking about it, saying that the system is broken, we have a responsibility to fix it.”

“And we have that opportunity,” said Hoyer. “So whether the president has--I believe he has the authority--but the Congress clearly has the authority to set the law. And if we pass the law, if we pass a law, that will be dispositive of the issue. The problem is we haven’t done that and the president has acted because he believes it’s in the best interest of the country to do so and to focus, which I think he’s absolutely right about, to focus resources on border security.”

“And when they talk about border security, the border is much, much more secure than it was 10 years ago by every calculation,” said Hoyer. “And then also focus on getting those who’ve committed crimes in America out of this country, who are not authorized to be here, out of this country. That’s what he’s doing, I think he’s right.”

President Obama announced on November 20 an executive order that said, “if you’ve been in America for more than five years; if you have children who are American citizens or legal residents; if you register, pass a criminal background check, and you’re willing to pay your fair share of taxes--you’ll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily without fear of deportation.”

This policy reportedly will effect up to five million illegal aliens.

In July, Hoyer told CNSNews.com that Obama “can’t legalize” illegal aliens, but the president “can implement the laws as he believes they should be implemented.”

“What the president can in fact do, however, is implement the laws as he believes they should be implemented,” Hoyer said then. “And there have been a lot of scholars--and I’m not going to go through the quotes now--who have said the president clearly has broad authority to decide how he’s going to implement the law.”

[jazusamo]

Bull squat you twit, 0bama is not a dictator...yet.

Any illegal alien in this country has broken the law if they've not come here legally, deport them and they can take their anchor babies with them or leave them with legal immigrants or US citizens if they so desire.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” In July, Hoyer told CNSNews.com that Obama “can’t legalize” illegal aliens, but the president “can implement the laws as he believes they should be implemented.” “

Uh, no Obama CANNOT do this!

[KarlInOhio]

Even if you argue that Obama has the authority to not enforce the laws on immigration and deportation and just leaves illegals here, how can you say that he further has the authority and budget (hint, hint, hint Republicans) to process their paperwork and give them IDs?

That would be like going past the idea that everyone gets 5 mph over the speed limit before the cops even look at you and then say that speeders should be given bright red license plates which allow them to speed.

[molson209]

How about all the Laws on the Books .President’s Swearing-In Ceremony was just a JOKE to Obama

[jazusamo]

Correct, not legally anyway.

Hoyer says Obama is focusing on getting those who’ve committed crimes out of the country.

That’s an outright lie. Obama has implemented a ‘catch and release’ program for criminal illegals according to some in DHS and Border Patrol.

[eyeamok]

I can’t wait til President Cruz unilaterally decides that Tax Laws will not be enforced against Republicans.

[jazusamo]

Bump

[Starboard]

If a Republican president is elected in 2016 its a certainty that Hoyer will have a completely interpretation with respect to the president's “broad authority to decide how he’s going to implement the law”.

Just more Democrat hypocrisy.

[Political Junkie Too]

I believe the legal precedents are pretty clear under President Bush and under President Reagan and President Clinton, both President Bush’s actions have been taken. Presidents have broad authority to deal with the implementation of the immigration statute...

This is the word swap right here.

Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Clinton took narrow actions to fix previously enacted laws, but the Democrats are now calling that "broad" action where no underlying law is in place.

-PJ

[Starboard]

Make that “completely DIFFERENT interpretation”. Sorry for the typo.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above to donate or become a monthly donor!

[tet68]

if you register, pass a criminal background check, and you’re willing to pay your fair share of taxes

So, this would include the five years of back taxes owed?
Seems reasonable to me...

[Steely Tom]

If a Republican president tried anything like this, the Democrats would be screaming, along with every pundit from every corner of the MSM.

Law School professors from Harvard and Yale would be solemnly intoning high-sounding pronouncements about how Our Country Is A Nation Of Laws, Not Of Men, how The President Has To Follow The Same Laws That Any Other American Must Follow, etc.

[jazusamo]

Yep, Hoyer and most all Dems will reconsider that authority to implement the law when we have a Republican president.

Dem hypocrisy is right!

[jazusamo]

And the Dems are failing to note that past actions by presidents on illegals were with the approval of Congress.

[TurboZamboni]

It’s in the big RINO penumbra.

[Thank You Rush]

“”Bull squat you twit, 0bama is not a dictator...yet. “”

AND Steny Hoyer has never been Minority Leader in the House. What do these writers use for a brain? Or do they just bypass that requirement?

[jazusamo]

You’re so right and I read right past that.

I remember when he became Majority Leader and Murtha wanted it so bad he could taste it. LOL!

[Enterprise]

To the Democrats, it doesn’t matter what the Constitution does or does not say. They will find a way to get around something they don’t like, or they will rely on the USSC to find a penumbra.

[Thank You Rush]

“”I remember when he became Majority Leader and Murtha wanted it so bad he could taste it. LOL!””

I don’t even remember him being Majority leader but I see he was and I totally forgot about Murtha...former Marine, right?