Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after the House passage of H.R. 240, the Fiscal Year 2015 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which would prohibit any government funds from being used to carry out President Obama’s executive actions and reaffirms the constitutional principles that Congress writes our immigration laws and the President is bound to faithfully execute and enforce those laws:
“The failure of the current and previous administrations to secure our borders and fully enforce our immigration laws undermines our sovereignty, public safety, and the economic security of American citizens. The President has acknowledged time and time again that the Constitution limits the authority of the executive branch to act unilaterally to change the law, yet he has taken action contrary to his constitutional powers and without the consent of Congress by effectively granting legal status to millions of illegal immigrants through unilateral action.
“The legislation we have adopted today explicitly prevents the funding of the President’s recent executive actions and requires priority removal and deportation of illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes. These restrictions are meaningful reforms that will discourage, rather than encourage, illegal immigration. These amendments are essential to re-asserting the fundamental principle that Congress makes our laws and the President must enforce them – explicit duties outlined by our Constitution.
“I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House to strengthen the security of our borders and to implement an immigration policy that is rooted in the rule of law. I call on our colleagues in the Senate to pass this important legislation and send it to the White House as soon as possible.”
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