Boehner Responds To President Obama’s Immigration Plan [VIDEO]
The Speaker of the House is vowing to take action, after President Obama announced sweeping immigration reform.
FOX News Radio’s Rachel Sutherland reports from Washington:
House Speaker John Boehner says by signing an executive order on immigration, President Obama is sabotaging any chance of enacting bipartisan reform.
(Boehner) ”President Obama has turned a deaf ear to the people that he was elected and we were elected to serve.”
But White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest says right after the midterm elections Speaker Boehner was asked:
(Earnest) ”If he intended to bring up common sense, bipartisan immigration reform in the next Congress, and he wouldn’t even commit to doing that.”
Republicans are threatening to take action to stop the President — but they haven’t specified how or when.
In Washington, Rachel Sutherland, FOX News Radio.
LISTEN to FOX News Radio’s special coverage of House Speaker John Boehner’s statement on immigration:
Millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. for years can now qualify to stay without fear of deportation.
Fox News Radio’s Jared Halpern has more from the White House:
The series of executive actions direct agencies to re-assess enforcement and deportations, putting a priority, the President says, on criminals and felons, not families and children.
(President Obama) “After all, most of these immigrants have been here a long time. They work hard, often in difficult low paying jobs.”
So, the President says parents who have been in the U.S. illegally for at least five years, and have children who were born here or are permanent residents can stay for at least three years so long as they get right with the law.
(President Obama) “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.”
That, the President argues, is not amnesty… it’s common sense.
Republican critics disagree.
(Blackburn) “What the President has said… okay, the system is broken so i’m gonna break it some more.”
Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn tells me the President is ignoring House-passed legislation that would lead to immigration reform, by first, securing the border.
(Blackburn) “We’re going to address this the way the American people have repeatedly said they want immigration reform addressed, and do things one at a time.”
Leading Republicans say this executive action is the work of a King, not a President, and warn it will make finding common ground on immigration and a host of other issues far more difficult.
At the White House, Jared Halpern, FOX News Radio.
LISTEN to FOX News Radio’s special coverage of President Obama’s Thursday night prime-time immigration announcement:
WATCH President Obama’s statement on immigration:
