Obama announces executive actions on immigration reform

President Barack Obama addressed the nation Thursday might, announcing he will sign several executive orders allowing millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. the chance to remain in the country without fear of deportation.

SEE ALSO: Thousands of migrant farm workers would avoid deportation

It’s the action that millions of immigrants hope will spur more comprehensive immigration reform–legislation that only Congress can pass, but has failed to so in the last Obama’s two terms as president. The moves, affecting mostly parents and young people, marked the most sweeping changes to the nation’s fractured immigration laws in nearly three decades and set off a fierce fight with Republicans over the limits of presidential powers. It’s expected to benefit approximately 5 million undocumented migrants living in the U.S.

He also refuted Republicans criticism that what he is signing is the equivalent of amnesty, saying he had to act with executive action because a Republican controlled House of Representatives struck down a bipartisan bill passed in the Senate. Instead, he pointed to what many say is an immigration system that for too long has turned a blind eye to the undocumented immigrant problem.

“Millions of people living here without paying taxes..that’s the real amnesty, leaving the system broken the way it is,” said President Obama.

The executive orders will go into effect on January 1, 2015, but many of the benefits will take 120 days for immigrants looking for rights such as getting a work permit. The President also said he wanted to focus deportation efforts in the U.S on “felons, not families.” However, the order does not grant them legal status to live in the U.S. It simply provides the ability to obtain a work permit and avoid deportation.

“Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character,” said the president.

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Obama defended the legality of his actions and challenged GOP lawmakers to focus their energy not on blocking his actions, but on approving long-stalled legislation to take its place. The sentiment was echoed by Democratic Senator Luis Gutierrez?a longtime advocate of immigration reform that grants migrants legal status.

“Stop whining and crying about what President did tonight, you had control of the House,” said Representative Gutierrez (D-IL) in support of the president during an interview with MSNBC.

Both Gutierrez and Obama are pointing to Congress, which in 2015 will have a Republican majority in both houses.

“To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill,” Obama said, flexing his presidential powers just two weeks after his political standing was challenged in the midterm elections.

Republicans, emboldened by their sweeping victories in the midterms, are weighing responses to the president’s actions that include lawsuits, a government shutdown, and in rare instances, even impeachment.

“The president will come to regret the chapter history writes if he does move forward,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who is soon to become the Senate majority leader, said before Obama’s address.

SEE ALSO: Why undocumented migrants aren’t ready for prime time

While Obama’s measures are sweeping in scope, they still leave more than half of the 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally in limbo. The president announced new deportation priorities that would compel law enforcement to focus its efforts on tracking down serious criminals and people who have recently crossed the border, while specifically placing a low priority on those who have been in the U.S. for more than 10 years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.