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Rep. Jan Schakowsky Statement on Federal Ruling on Immigration Executive Action


CHICAGO –(ENEWSPF)—February 19, 2015. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement yesterday in response to the decision of a U.S. District Judge in the case of the State of Texas v. United States of America:

“I am disappointed by the ruling of Judge Andrew S. Hanen. It is ill-conceived and has the potential to delay assistance to millions of undocumented immigrants who will benefit from President Barack Obama’s executive actions. In fact, on Saturday, I was with Congressman Luis Gutiérrez for a workshop in Des Plaines, Illinois to educate families about what the President’s actions will mean for them. One-thousand people attended. They are ready to go – unfortunately, they will have to wait a little while longer.

I am fully confident that President Obama’s actions are constitutional – a view widely held in the legal community. The President’s actions are also in line with those of previous Presidents, including Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.  I expect the Obama Administration will succeed in appealing this decision. In the meantime, we should call this ruling what it is – another misguided step by Republicans to obstruct common-sense immigration reform. The following puts the ruling in context:

For this lawsuit, Republicans went venue shopping and found a judge with anti-immigration views

It is likely that this ruling will be overturned, but it seems the real goal of the ruling is to instill fear and confusion in the immigrant community

If Republicans don’t like the President’s executive action, they can pass the comprehensive immigration reform that passed the Senate and would likely pass the House

It seems Republicans are more afraid of DREAMers than they are of ISIL, as they are willing to shut down the Department of Homeland Security because they oppose the executive action  

This is no way to govern and doesn’t allow us to fix our broken immigration system.We need an America where qualifying individuals can receive temporary relief from the threat of deportation. We must become an America that focuses on deporting felons, not families.

Immigration has always been essential to the fabric of America. I am a first-generation American. For many – if not all of those arguing against comprehensive immigration reform – someone in their family lineage immigrated to this country. We should all remember our history and act together to fix our immigration system – it would add billions of dollars to our economy and ensure a better future for generations to come.”

Source: Schakowsky.house.gov


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