Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said Tuesday that it “would be very difficult” for President Barack Obama to legalize all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. by executive order.
Asked at a forum on immigration reform in Mesa, Ariz. whether he believed Obama could unilaterally legalize all undocumented immigrants just as he deferred deportation of DREAMers, or undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, in 2012, Flake said he couldn’t see that scenario playing out.
“That would be very difficult to do. I don’t think that could happen,” Flake said. “I know there’s concern that the president has moved beyond his constitutional mandate on certain issues, but I can’t see that happening.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), himself a major immigration reform proponent, suggested earlier this month that if Congress fails to act Obama may be “tempted” to issue an executive order that would legalize undocumented immigrants without guaranteeing key reforms like border security.
