Obama vows using executive power to fix immigration system

By Balitang America Staff, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

June 30, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC – President Barack Obama has vowed to use his executive power to fix the country’s broken immigration system and he plans to act without delay.

Obama’s announcement came after House Speaker John Boehner told him the House of Representatives will not vote on immigration reform this year.

The president said he will be taking recommendations from lawmakers on the best administrative actions to take in order to overhaul immigration laws, giving them an end of the summer deadline of Sept. 22.

The announcement comes as Obama asks Congress for more than $2 billion in emergency funds to deal with a recent flood of Central American children who are entering the country illegally.

The rash of undocumented children and adults have been reported in the Rio Grande Valley areas and other parts of the Southwest border.

According to an administration official, the money would be used for removal proceedings, increasing enforcement and the removal of unlawful immigrants.

Meanwhile, Boehner said last week he plans to sue Obama over his use of executive actions to circumvent stalemates in Congress.

But Obama said that with immigration reform, Congress has forced his hand.

“I take executive action only when we have a serious problem, serious issue, and Congress chooses to do nothing,” he said. “And in this situation, failure of House Republicans to pass a darn bill is bad for our security, it’s bad for our economy, and it’s bad for our future.”