GOP fight against Obama’s executive actions to start soon

It’s only been a day since the 114th Congress convened and Republicans are already preparing to begin their fight to block President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

The fight could start as early as next week, with a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Besides enforcing immigration laws, DHS is tasked with securing the nation from terrorist attacks.

SEE ALSO: Non-Mexicans outnumber Mexicans in border apprehensions

House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday that Republicans will continue with their plans to use the DHS funding bill as a way to block Obama’s executive actions, which would defer deportations for up to 5 million undocumented immigrants. Boehner’s remarks came after the Paris terror attack on Wednesday, in which gunmen opened fire at the office of a satirical magazine and killed 12 people.

“I believe that the president’s executive actions with regard to immigration are outside of the Constitution and outside of his powers,” Boehner said in a press conference. “And I believe that we can deal with that issue in the Department of Homeland Security bill without jeopardizing the security of our country.”

DHS runs out of funds by the end of February, which means Congress must pass a bill to continue funding it.

Politico reported Wednesday that House Republicans are considering a measure by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) that would prohibit the use of funds, even those collected by fees, for the implementation of Obama’s immigration executive actions. However, House Republican leaders have not made a final decision.

It’s very unlikely that Obama would sign a bill with that language, which has some lawmakers worried that DHS could run out of funds and shut down. Still, that’s not stopping Republican leaders from pushing their plan forward.

“We are going to stick to our plan, and we believe it is wrong what the president has done,” Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), who chairs the House Rules Committee, told Politico.

SEE ALSO: Marco Rubio returns to immigration debate in book

Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, recalled how it was only two years ago that Republicans were “lining up to announce their support for comprehensive immigration reform.” Now, he said, Republicans are getting ready to deny millions of immigrants who stand to benefit from Obama’s executive action a chance to come forward, pass a background check, work legally and pay taxes.

“In the last Congress, the GOP blocked immigration reform that would have fixed our dysfunctional immigration system once and for all,” Sharry added. “In this Congress, they seem intent on making a broken immigration system even worse, maximizing deportations of immigrants who are American in all but paperwork and cementing their anti-Latino, anti-immigrant brand. So much for responsible governance.”

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