Arizona political leaders’ response to Obama’s executive action regarding immigration

President Obama addressed the nation Thursday night about changes to the United States’ immigration system.

The executive measure announced by Obama is expected to focus on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay their fair share of taxes as they register to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation.

Arizona’s political leaders spoke up with their statements on the measure:

U.S. Senator John McCain:

“I agreed with President Obama last year when he stated that taking executive action on immigration was ‘not an option’ because it would amount to ‘ignoring the law in a way that I think would be very difficult to defend legally.’

“I regret that he has reversed his position today by ordering executive action which not only lacks legal justification, but will set back important bipartisan efforts to reform our broken immigration system and secure our nation’s borders – causes I have long supported.

“The President’s unilateral action announced today fails to address the root causes of the dysfunction in our immigration system, including an insecure border, the absence of a rational, efficient guest worker program to meet America’s urgent labor needs, and a broken system for legal immigration, which fails those around the world who seek the American dream by actually following our laws. Unilateral executive action also fails to provide a responsible approach to providing permanent relief to those living and working without legal status inside the United States, and harms the chances for Congress to reach a compromise resolving their legal position. Finally, unilateral executive action will only incentivize increased illegal immigration, opening the floodgates to more visa overstays and illegal entries across our southern border.

“As President Obama has previously said, he is not ‘a king’ or ‘the emperor of the United States,’ and he isn’t legally able to unilaterally change immigration law any way he sees fit. Congress has a responsibility to respond and push back on his illegal power-grab. Congress must be creative in using all the tools in our toolbox – including mounting a legal challenge – to oppose the President’s action.

“At the same time, I believe that we Republicans must remain committed to advancing the broad, common-sense conservative agenda we share, and prove to the American people we can legislate solutions and govern effectively. Our nation has big challenges at home and abroad, and Republicans must rise to the occasion to address them.

“Immigration is an issue that must be debated and decided by the representatives of the people, not by executive fiat. I had hoped that President Obama would wait for the new Congress to engage on this issue next year before contemplating any action, but it is now clear that he is more interested in using it to the Democrats’ political advantage in 2016 than he is in working in a bipartisan manner to address this pressing national challenge once and for all.”

U.S. Senator Jeff Flake:

“As someone who supports broad reform to our immigration system, I’m very disappointed with the action the president is taking. It certainly doesn’t seem like the right way to work with a new Congress.”

Governor Jan Brewer:

“Not so long ago, President Obama rightly acknowledged that his role as president under the Constitution is to ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ Publically and repeatedly he has rejected the suggestion of bypassing Congress to impose a de facto amnesty via executive order.

“Now, rather than work with Congress on a bipartisan solution to fix our immigration system and secure the border, he is once again taking brazen, unilateral action that will only further exacerbate the border problem – just as he did in 2012 when he signed an executive order to provide an amnesty to almost two million illegal aliens through his ‘Deferred Action’ plan.

“This is not a partisan issue. When the bluest of blue states – like Oregon, for example – vote overwhelmingly to prohibit illegal aliens from obtaining drivers licenses, it speaks volumes about the widespread lack of support for President Obama’s immigration policies. The American people have spoken, and time and again they have been ignored.

“That President Obama refuses to visit our border, refuses to enforce our existing immigration laws and refuses to come to the table on an issue of such critical national safety and economic importance is a disgrace. We are a nation of laws, the most significant of which are written to ensure cooperation and balance among our branches of government. Separation of powers is what has distinguished us from other forms of government for 225 years. Over the past six years, this President has sought at every turn to move us toward a concentration of power which, as President Reagan opined, ‘has always been the enemy of liberty.’ With controversial executive actions like that announced today, President Obama undermines our Constitution and erodes the fundamental principles upon which America was built.

“Clearly, the President is not interested in executing our laws, and even when he and his party had control of Congress and the White House, they did absolutely nothing to reform immigration. His new executive action sends a disturbing message about the way this President perceives his role as leader. When a president constantly refuses to enforce existing laws, disregards the will of the people and creates his own policies based on personal preferences, we shift from a nation of democracy to one of tyranny. In 1838, a profound man, Abraham Lincoln, prophetically warned the American people that a tyrant could overtake our political system from within, and that, ‘when such a one does, it will require the people to be united with each other, attached to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, to successfully frustrate his designs.’

“Evidently this President must be reminded that we, the American people, elected a president that serves beneath the law – we did not anoint a tyrannical king that is above the law.”

Governor-Elect Doug Ducey:

“President’s Obama decision to move ahead on this unilateral executive action without working with Congress is the wrong approach and not what the American people want. We just had an election, and I encourage the President to heed to the will of the American people. Rather than acting alone, President Obama should sit down and work with both sides of the aisle on a realistic solution, not further divide the country and exacerbate this problem after six years of inaction on his part.”

“I am prepared to work with our congressional delegation, other border state governors and the President on this issue, but this move will make those bipartisan efforts nearly impossible. Washington needs to regain the trust of the American people, and that should start with a common-sense, step-by-step approach – and as we know here in Arizona, the first step must be border security.”

Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema:

“Arizonans understand the need for comprehensive, lasting immigration reform. Congress’s continued failure to act hurts our economy and our communities.

“Executive action may provide limited short-term relief for some Arizona families and businesses, but it is not a long-term or complete solution. Congress must act to replace our broken immigration system with bipartisan, lasting comprehensive reform.

“I am willing to work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues and the Administration to create a plan that secures our borders, addresses our growing workforce needs, and includes a tough but fair path to citizenship. It is going to take hard work and compromise, but Arizona has waited too long for the promise of immigration reform. We cannot wait any longer.”

U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick:

“Nobody is more tired of waiting for Congress to act on immigration than the people of Arizona. The president’s action tonight could bring millions of workers out of the shadows and keep families together, but it does not fix our broken immigration system. That is Congress’ job, and Congress needs to get its act together. The Senate passed bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform more than a year ago with support from Arizona’s senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake. But rather than allow a vote on reform, House leadership continues to stonewall. Now, more than ever, Congress must act. I ask my colleagues who are protesting loudly tonight to instead raise their voices and demand a vote on the Senate’s bipartisan reform bill, which strengthens border security, keeps families together and addresses our labor and economic needs.”