U. S. Congressman Jeff Miller
In the News
U.S. District Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction Against President Obama's Executive Actions
The founding fathers heeded countless historical lessons of the abuse of power when they established three separate but equal branches of government. They knowingly sacrificed efficiency for preservation of freedom, which trumped all else. The latest example of the genius in their design recently came to light last week, as Judge Andrew S. Hanen, U.S. Federal District Judge from Texas, granted preliminary injunction last Monday against President Obama’s executive actions on amnesty. As the Administration and Department of Homeland Security were planning to start accepting amnesty applications later in the week, Judge Hanen put a halt to that effort until a full trial could be held, citing overreach of power on behalf of the Executive Branch.
Staunchly opposed to the President’s illegal executive amnesty and in support of the States filing against the Administration challenging the President’s executive amnesty, I joined 23 of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives and three in the U.S. Senate in defending the separation of powers in an Amici Curiae Brief that supported the State of Texas in their suit for preliminary injunction. To that end, I was pleased that the Court’s decision ruled that the President’s plans—which would have granted tentative legal status, work permits, and Social Security numbers to more than 4 million illegal immigrants—exceeded the lawful powers enjoyed by the Executive Branch in addition to placing undue burden on the States.
The President himself stated numerous times throughout his six years in office that such a move would be unlawful, yet he went forward anyway. Time and again, this President has displayed the need for our form of separation of powers. While Congress has mitigated his attempts to exceed executive authority with regard to amnesty by prohibiting the Executive Branch from treating illegal aliens as if they were lawfully present (H.R. 5759) and expressly preventing funds or collected fees from being used to carry out this or any future executive action on amnesty (H.R. 240), I was pleased to see Judge Hanen rule in line with Constitutional law by putting a halt to the Administration’s latest, most galling abuse of power. The role of the Executive Branch is to enforce the laws prescribed by the American people through Congress, not to circumvent our way of government when convenient. History shows us doing so would simply set a dangerous precedent that should cause Americans on both sides of the aisle grave concern.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Washington Update