The Voice of Reason: President's Order Clearly Not Constitutional

On Friday, President Obama announced that his Administration would no longer deport young immigrants who arrive in the U.S. illegally before age 16 and spend at least five continuous years in this country.  These immigrants will be able to stay in this country and obtain work permits under certain conditions (i.e., not having a criminal record), according to the President's plan.

In a nation of laws, the President is telling the Executive Branch of our Federal Government to ignore immigration laws passed by Congress. This is unconstitutional, according to at least one President.  Which one?  Read on to find out.

The framers of the Constitution designed our Federal Government with three equal branches.  The role of the Legislative Branch, our Congress, is to pass laws, which are then enforced by the Executive Branch, which is controlled by the President.  The Supreme Court, the Judicial Branch of our government, has the authority to rule whether or not the laws passed by the Congress are Constitutional. There is a clear balance of power, which ensures that no one branch has too much power.  For the President to suspend one law, essentially means that he is creating new law, which he does not have the authority to do under our Constitution. At least one President agrees wholeheartedly:

"With respect to the notion that I could suspend deportations through executive order, that's just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed and I know everybody here at Bell is studying hard so you know we have three branches of government.  Congress passes the law.  The executive branch's job is to enforce and implement those laws and then the judiciary has to interpret the law.  There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration syustem, that for me through simply an executive order ignore those mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as president."

Which President said this?  Barack Obama.  In a town hall meeting with Univision just last year, President Obama said this when asked about whether he could just suspend deportations of students.  http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/jun/16/picket-video-obama-2011-i-cant-stop-deportations-e/

Once again, the President's actions and words are much, much different.  If a President can completely ignore any one law passed by Congress, what would prevent him from ignoring other laws or creating new laws? 

Americans should be outraged and very scared.  The framers of our Constitution are rolling over in their graves.