President Obama should go ahead and issue executive orders on immigration if Congress refuses to act, said former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
“If Congress refuses to act and perform its duties, then I think it’s appropriate for the executive to step in and use his authorities based on law … to take action in the immigration arena,” Ms. Napolitano told The Washington Post.
Ms. Napolitano, the former U.S. attorney in Arizona, made the statements ahead of a speech she’s due to give Monday in Georgia about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, The Post reported.
Mr. Obama has vowed to take action on immigration — specifically, to forge an amnesty plan for the millions of undocumented currently in the nation — since his first administration. He recently announced he would wait until after the November elections to go solo on immigration.
“The truth of the matter is that the politics did shift mid-summer,” he told CNN in September. “What I’m saying is that I’m going to act [on immigration] because it’s the right thing for the country. But it’s going to be more sustainable and more effective if the public understands what the facts are on immigration,” and action is delayed until after the elections.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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