Norton Says Obama Family Solidifying Executive Immigration Reform Follows Bipartisan Precedents

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said that President Obama's new measured and modest temporary Immigration Accountability Executive Actions, which feature keeping families together, was a legal and constitutional use of his presidential authority, in keeping with existing precedents to unify families torn apart by delay on immigration reform. The executive action announced last night extends deportation protections to families of United States citizens or permanent residents, including temporary protective status for millions of undocumented immigrants, additional resources for law enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border, and requires certain undocumented immigrants pass a criminal background check as they register to temporarily stay in the country. Although the executive action does not provide more protections for parents of DREAMers, Norton praised the President for family solidifying action that challenges Republicans to use their new majority to finish the job with permanent legislation.

"The President's family stabilizing executive actions continue the tradition of American presidents of both parties, most recently Presidents Bush and Reagan in the 1980s and 1990s, who moved to stabilize families when Congress had not. No one who has been paying attention in recent years can believe that the House, as presently constituted, will take up immigration reform. The President could not in good conscience leave millions of families and children of the millions of hardworking, taxpaying immigrants in the shadows of the economy even though they are willing and ready to pay the price and take the steps toward citizenship."