In the middle of the immigration crisis, US president Barack Obama has admitted that his decision to contemplate using his executive authority could lead to the deportation of being postponed; however news channel MSNBC says that using such a tactic could result in a political firestorm that would have dramatic consequences for Congress following the November midterm elections.
Obama previously took executive action on immigration reform back in 2012, when he aided thousands of undocumented immigrants who were children when they first arrived in the United States ‒ sometimes referred to as DREAMers ‒ to stay in the country without having to be constantly afraid of being deported. If Obama was to take similar action this time around, more than eight million undocumented immigrants could receive permission to remain in the US.
The president has been reported as saying that the inability of Congress to draft and pass any kind of legislation with regard to immigration reform has left him with little choice but to do something about the issue himself. “While they’re out on vacation I’m going to have to make some tough choices to meet the challenge, with or without Congress,” Obama confirmed.
There could be consequences for the White House if Obama does take executive action, with Republicans in the House of Representatives having already taken the steps needed to sue Obama, claiming that he has already overstepped his authority.