Conservative Republicans in the Senate are calling on the outgoing Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Harry Reid (R-NV) to block President Obama’s promised executive action on immigration as they say it is his responsibility to protect the Constitution’s prescribed balance of power.
“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,” reads a Wednesday letter to Reid led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and David Vitter (R-LA) also signed the letter, which came a day after Democrats suffered massive loses across the country in the midterm elections — making Reid an outgoing majority leader.
Despite voters’ rebuke of Democrats Tuesday, President Obama has said he still plans to move forward to take executive action on immigration, something the Republican senates argue Reid has a responsibility to prevent.
“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,” The six senators wrote.
They continued to offer their support to halt such actions with legislation but warned that if he decides to not block Obama’s actions they will move forward to stop it without his cooperation.
“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,” they wrote.
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