UPDATE: Here are a few great quotes from Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) showing her support:
President should take big and bold action to make our immigration system work to better meet the needs of our country and reflect our values
— Rep. Zoe Lofgren (@RepZoeLofgren) November 13, 2014
Congress and Constitution grant POTUS broad authority to take executive action on immigration, past Presidents have used authority broadly.
— Rep. Zoe Lofgren (@RepZoeLofgren) November 13, 2014
Ultimately the job of Congress to fix #immigration, but we look forward to bold, meaningful & lawful executive action to improve lives soon — Rep. Zoe Lofgren (@RepZoeLofgren) November 13, 2014
And Nancy Pelosi:
Proud to stand with @RepGutierrez & my Dem colleagues in calling for bold action on #immigration! pic.twitter.com/oi5NcTa2ec
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) November 13, 2014
Ahead of Obama’s much-anticipated executive order on immigration, Democrats and other allies this week are lining up in support.
The nation’s Catholic bishops announced this week that they support Obama taking action for immigrants, even as they will continue to work with both parties to pass legislative immigration reform.
At an annual meeting on Tuesday, chairman of the migration committee of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Eusebio Elizondo said that the immigration crisis is urgent and efforts to pass legislation have so far been thwarted. Considering that, he said:
It would be derelict not to support administrative actions … which would provide immigrants and their families legal protection.
We are not guided by the latest headlines but by the human tragedies that we see every day in our parishes and programs, where families are torn apart by enforcement actions especially.
Today, House Democrats held a press conference announcing that 115 members had signed a letter asking President Obama to “act boldly” on immigration. A similar presser was held yesterday, when the Congressional Hispanic Caucus joined a group of House Democrats to direct attention to how executive action could help immigrants who want to join the military, or members of the military who have faced or seen their families face deportation.
One of the attendees was Elizabeth Perez, a US Marine Corps vet who served in the military for ten years and whose husband was deported in 2010. Her husband is still in Mexico today, forcibly separated from Elizabeth and their two children.
Also yesterday, the Congressional Progressive Caucus — chaired by Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) — sent a memo to Obama asking for swift executive action for 7 million immigrants, which is more than some reports estimate Obama’s announcement will cover.
The CPC called on Obama to create a new DACA for all immigrants who would have qualified for the Senate immigration bill, and to expand the current DACA program to eliminate age limits and other barriers that prevent some DREAMers from applying.
As the memo read:
Expansive and robust action that addresses the economic, family, community and national problems we now face is urgently needed. Republicans in Congress have made it clear they will not engage in a good faith effort to fix our broken immigration system. The president has the legal authority and moral imperative to provide relief for over 7 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the shadows.
In contrast, Republicans are currently mobilizing to block administrative relief for millions of immigrants, preserving the status quo and leaving families in danger of deportation and separation. Sen. Jeff Sessions is encouraging the GOP to use spending bills to block the government from carrying out Obama’s executive order, while Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) is gathering House signatures for a similar proposal barring federal funds for future work permits and residency cards.
