A group of 20 Republican senators have written a letter to President Barack Obama questioning whether he has the legal authority to defer deportation proceedings and issue work visas to young immigrants, calling the move an “inappropriate use of Executive power.”
The senators asked Obama to provide copies of legal opinions, memos and emails that discussed his authority to issue the new immigration rules and asked what would happen to the individuals who were granted deferred action after two years. The senators asked Obama to make Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and ICE Director John Morton to answer questions about the new policy. They asked for a response by July 3.
The list of Senators who signed the letter, from Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office:
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Mike Crapo of Idaho, James Risch of Idaho, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, John Boozman of Arkansas, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, David Vitter of Louisiana, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
