Grassley: Obama immigration action another on ‘list of abuses’

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said President Obama is poised to issue a “mass amnesty” order by executive “fiat.”

“He has threatened mass amnesty from our immigration laws by fiat,” Grassley said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “The president may think of this executive action as a victory … but history will surly view it as a serious blow to the framework established by the framers of the Constitution.”

{mosads}On Thursday night, Obama is expected to announce an executive order on immigration during a national address. The administration has said it will issue nearly 5 million work visas to immigrants, many of whom have U.S. children, because House Republicans have refused to take up Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reforms. It has also cited numerous examples of previous presidents making similar moves.

Grassley — who serves as ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration law — said this latest executive order is just another item on the “long list of abuses of his executive authority.” He said the president would be breaking the law and violating the Constitution if he goes through with the executive order.

Democrats spent most of Wednesday bashing Republicans for their lack of action on immigration reform, saying and “anti-immigrant” views will ultimately be the downfall of the party.