Sounding the Alarms On Obama's Amnesty Agenda

By Ken Blackwell, CP Op-Ed Contributor Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Ken Blackwell is the Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment at the Family Research Council, and the Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow for Public Policy at the Buckeye Institute in Columbus, Ohio

Now that President Barack Obama announced his intentions to violate the Constitution and grant amnesty to 5 million illegal aliens through executive amnesty, Congress is in a rush to respond. Obama's actions are a threat to the America's democracy, and it is up to the American people to demand enforcement of America's immigration laws.

After returning from recess on Monday, conservative Republicans in the U.S. House circulated draft legislation which would stop Obama's plan dead in it's tracks. The language, which was inserted into an upcoming spending bill, uses Congress' power of the purse and expressly prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from using any funds or fees may by "any agency to implement, administer, enforce or carry out any of the policy changes" announced by the Obama White House. The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) recently confirmed, in a letter to Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) that Congress has the full authority block Obama's shameful amnesty actions.

And because of Tea Party efforts, conservative leaders in the House are planning more action immediately. Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is crafting legislation to bolster law enforcement along America's porous border. And Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is already scheduling hearings immediately to expose Obama's illegal overreach on deportation policy.

The stakes have never been more clear or higher. As Heritage Foundation poverty expert Robert Rector recently noted, Obama's executive orders will likely cost taxpayers $2 trillion during their lifetimes, due to the intense strain illegal immigrants with approximately a 10th grade education add to Social Security, Medicare, and other welfare programs. They will typically use three dollars of public benefits from government programs for every dollar they put into the economy.

However, with spending having to be passed by December 11th, the clock is ticking, and the establishment-wing of the GOP is interested in passing "permanent" amnesty before Obama has a chance to! Political elites are determined to ignore the 80% of Americans who believe jobs should only go to American citizens and immigrants who are here legally.

The concern now is such a debate could lead to another government shutdown. But with Republicans taking over the Senate and considering what is at stake, that is a political risk worth taking.

In America, laws should always matter. These illegal immigrants have broken the immigration laws already on the books. Their massive numbers are a drain on local communities, increase crime and provide a push toward higher taxes which they don't pay. America should not reward those who have successfully made a mockery of those who are waiting in line to become citizens of the greatest country on Earth.

The border is not secure, but for short-term political reasons, Obama is willing to shred the same Constitution which he swore an oath to uphold. It is time to write your Congressmen and demand the end to executive amnesty. It is time to protect American sovereignty and secure the Southern border now!

Ken Blackwell is the Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment at the Family Research Council. He serves on the board of directors of the Club for Growth and the National Taxpayers Union. He is also a member of the public affairs committee of the NRA. Mr. Blackwell is also the former Mayor of Cincinnati and a former Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.