Don’t Enable Obama’s Executive Amnesty in Lame Duck

WASHINGTON, DC -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today sent a letter to Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV, the outgoing Senate Majority Leader, signed by Sens. Mike Crapo, R-ID; Mike Lee, R-UT; Pat Roberts, R-KS; Jeff Sessions, R-AL; and David Vitter, R-LA expressing opposition to President Obama's announced intention to take unilateral executive action by the end of this year to lawlessly grant amnesty to immigrants who have entered the country illegally.

"The Supreme Court has recognized that ‘over no conceivable subject is the power of Congress more complete' than its power over immigration," the letter said. "Therefore, President Obama will be exercising powers properly belonging to Congress if he makes good on his threat. This will create a constitutional crisis that demands action by Congress to restore the separation of powers."

The letter continued: "As majority leader of the Senate, you have the responsibility of not only representing the citizens of your State, but also of protecting the Constitution through vigilant exercise of the checks and balances provided under the Constitution. Therefore, we write to offer our full assistance in ensuring expeditious Senate debate and passage for a measure that preserves the power of Congress by blocking any action the President may take to violate the Constitution and unilaterally grant amnesty; however, should you decline to defend the Senate and the Constitution from executive overreach, the undersigned Senators will use all procedural means necessary to return the Senate's focus during the lame duck session to resolving the constitutional crisis created by President Obama's lawless amnesty."

The text of the letter is below:

November 5, 2014

Senator Harry Reid
Majority Leader
S-221, The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Leader Reid:

We write to express our alarm with President Obama's announced intention to take unilateral executive action by the end of this year to lawlessly grant amnesty to immigrants who have entered the country illegally. The Supreme Court has recognized that "over no conceivable subject is the power of Congress more complete" than its power over immigration. Therefore, President Obama will be exercising powers properly belonging to Congress if he makes good on his threat. This will create a constitutional crisis that demands action by Congress to restore the separation of powers.

As majority leader of the Senate, you have the responsibility of not only representing the citizens of your State, but also of protecting the Constitution through vigilant exercise of the checks and balances provided under the Constitution. Therefore, we write to offer our full assistance in ensuring expeditious Senate debate and passage for a measure that preserves the power of Congress by blocking any action the President may take to violate the Constitution and unilaterally grant amnesty; however, should you decline to defend the Senate and the Constitution from executive overreach, the undersigned Senators will use all procedural means necessary to return the Senate's focus during the lame duck session to resolving the constitutional crisis created by President Obama's lawless amnesty.

Sincerely,

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