Democrats File Supreme Court Brief In Support of Executive Amnesty

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (C) answers reporters' questions duirng a ne
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House and Senate Democrats are pressing the Supreme Court to uphold President Obama’s executive amnesty for illegal immigrants as legal and not a violation of the Constitution, which is what 26 states and Republicans are arguing.

Tuesday, 186 House Democrats and 39 Senate Democrats are filing an Amicus Brief before the Supreme Court arguing in favor of and detonating their support for Obama’s executive amnesty — which would provide de facto legal status and work permits to millions of illegal immigrants.

“Republicans’ breathtaking obstruction has perpetuated an utterly broken immigration system that tears families apart, dishonors our values as Americans, and fails to meet the needs of our country,” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said in a statement. “By and large, we are a nation of immigrants and the vast majority of families who would benefit from these programs include American citizens. We should embrace their contributions.”

Last year Texas and 25 other states challenged Obama’s executive amnesty in court. The courts, until now, have blocked Obama’s executive actions. However, the administration has appealed to the Supreme Court.

“We are confident the Supreme Court will recognize the legality and necessity of the President’s actions to help bring our immigration system back into line with the values and needs of our country,” the Democrat’s brief argues. It goes on to say Congress “encouraged the Executive to use its resources in a rational and effective manner on cases in which the nation’s interest in removal is strongest, to provide the maximum return on Congress’s sizeable but necessarily limited investment in immigration enforcement.”

Last week House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that the Republican-led House would be voting on whether the House would be filing an amicus brief in opposition to Obama’s executive amnesty.

“The House will vote on whether to file an amicus brief in Supreme Court opposing the president’s executive amnesty,” Ryan said. “This is a very extraordinary step. In fact, it has never been done before.”

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