House votes to undo Obama immigration actions

[webfact]

House votes to undo Obama immigration actions
By ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shunning a White House veto threat and opposition within their own party, House Republicans approved legislation Wednesday to overturn President Barack Obama's key immigration policies and expose hundreds of thousands of younger immigrants to expulsion from the U.S.

The 236-191 vote came on a broad bill that would provide $39.7 billion to finance the Homeland Security Department through the rest of the budget year, legislation that lawmakers of both parties said was sorely needed to pay for counterterrorism, cybersecurity and other priorities at a moment when the Paris terror attacks have underscored dire threats.

Democrats accused Republicans of putting that money at risk by attaching veto-bait amendments on immigration, and some Republicans voiced the same concern. But House GOP leaders and most of their rank and file accused Obama in turn of reckless and unconstitutional actions on immigration that had to be answered.

"This executive overreach is an affront to the rule of law and to the Constitution itself," said House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio. "The people made clear that they wanted more accountability from this president, and by our votes here today we will heed their will and we will keep our oath to protect and defend the Constitution."

But Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said the Republicans were simply pandering to the far right.

"Shame on Republicans for attacking the Latino community," Sanchez said. "Republicans are consciously targeting millions of families who work hard, contribute to our communities and are just trying to give their children a chance at the American dream."

One of the immigration amendments, approved 237-190, would undo executive actions that Obama announced in November to provide temporary deportation relief and work permits to some 4 million immigrants in the country illegally, mostly people who have children who are citizens or legal permanent residents. The amendment also would cancel earlier directives to immigration agents aimed at giving them discretion in focusing deportations on criminals.

A second amendment would delete Obama's 2012 policy that's granted work permits and stays of deportation to more than 600,000 immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children under age 16. That measure passed narrowly, 218-209, as 26 of the more moderate Republicans, some representing large Hispanic populations, joined Democrats in opposition.

The underlying bill passed on a mostly party line vote, with 10 Republicans voting "no" and two Democrats voting "yes."

But even with Republicans in control of the Senate, the bill faces tough sledding there. Republicans are six votes shy of the 60-vote majority needed to advance most legislation, and some GOP senators have argued that the Homeland Security bill shouldn't be the vehicle for a contentious debate on immigration.

Within the House GOP, too, there's frustration from some centrist lawmakers that two weeks into a new session of Congress, with a bigger party majority in the House, the most conservative lawmakers are still calling the shots, successfully pushing leaders for a vote to undo the 2012 policy dealing with younger immigrants known as "Dreamers."

"If we were just specifically dealing with the November overreach of the president, you'd have Democrats who'd be voting with us on that piece of it but we've gone well beyond that," said Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif. "We're passing a bill for political reasons, a bill that has no ability to pass the Senate."

Before leaving town for a two-day retreat in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Republicans also steered the House to approval of legislation to ease the landmark Dodd-Frank law, which aimed to rein in banks and Wall Street. The new legislation would give U.S. banks two extra years to ensure that their holdings of certain complex and risky securities don't put them out of compliance with a new banking rule. The Dodd-Frank changes, approved 271-154, also face an Obama veto threat.

Given the growing importance of Latino voters, Wednesday's immigration votes could end up raising questions in the 2016 presidential election for the eventual GOP nominee. Potential candidates weren't touching the issue Wednesday. Requests for comments from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former GOP nominee Mitt Romney went unanswered. At an event in Manchester, New Hampshire, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky refused to say if he would back his House colleagues' efforts.

Democrats, on the other hand, were eager to weigh in.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois warned Republicans they were igniting "the mobilization of an immigrant community throughout this nation that will be the death knell to the future of your party."

Wednesday's votes were set in motion late last year, after Obama infuriated Republicans by announcing executive moves on immigration not long after the GOP swept the midterm elections. Republicans passed full-year spending bills for most of the government but kept the Homeland Security Department on a short leash in order to revisit the issue when they would be in full control of Congress.

Yet given Obama's veto pen and Senate rules granting significant rights to the minority party, it's not clear that the GOP has much more leverage now than it did before. House and Senate Republican leaders have ruled out a government shutdown or any disruption to Homeland Security funding, so it appears likely that once the House bill is rejected by the Senate or vetoed by the president, the House will have to accept a version with less contentious language on immigration.

Current Homeland Security funding expires at the end of February, so House leaders have given themselves more than a month to find a solution. It's expected to be a topic of debate at the Hershey retreat.
___

Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Connie Cass and Marcy Gordon in Washington, Steve Peoples in San Diego, Michael Mishak in Miami and Kathleen Ronayne in Manchester, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-15

[Anthony5]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

[HeijoshinCool]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

..

Kindly tell me why all of these foreigners who evaded the law by ignoring the visa process, and who are not required to take any vaccinations, should be welcomed, when my Thai wife must take 5 vaccinations against her wishes, and mine?

[JingerBen]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

Really...

Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney don't have the guts to take a stand.

[ezzra]

Oh Obama Obama, the great Appeaser of all controversial policies, the great weakling of

a president that the US ever known, his sole aim is to cut the US to a midget size, while

China, Russia and radical Islam are getting momentum..

his plans to flood the US with illegal immigrants and turned them into democrats voters,

disregarding the plight of many US citizens whom them selves live in poverty,

as the adage goes, take care of you hometown poor's before turning to the outsiders...

[Pinot]

Oh Obama Obama, the great Appeaser of all controversial policies, the great weakling of

a president that the US ever known, his sole aim is to cut the US to a midget size, while

China, Russia and radical Islam are getting momentum..

his plans to flood the US with illegal immigrants and turned them into democrats voters,

disregarding the plight of many US citizens whom them selves live in poverty,

as the adage goes, take care of you hometown poor's before turning to the outsiders...

Bwahahahaha. Yea, that's Obama's plan alright. Really, turn off Fox Spews, occasionally.

[wolfmanjack]

I think the practice of adding riders to a bill should be stopped. A bill should pass or fail on its own merit.

[reptile91602]

How completey stupid are Americans living in Thailand. Obama,no matter what you like or don;t like about him did nothing more or less than any other stupid US president before him except try and help out some children getting caught in the middle of a big mess.

I hate the fact that the US has been letting in illegals for ever from across the border but every president has ignored fixing the problem and Reagan, well he let millions of them stay that had actually had done the illegal act of walking across without papers, and just sent the problem on to the next idiot.

All Obama has done has let some innocent kids have a life. I guarantee that if a Republican gets in in 2016, and there is about as much chance of that as my going back happily and living in the states, he will screw the whole mess up just like everyone before him and not put in to effect the rules that have been set up to keep illegals from getting jobs, healthcare and education which was supposed to take place decades ago.

America is just a stupid, stupid place that can't get anything done that is rational and when it is done everyone bitches.

[chuckd]

The House passed legislation contains the None of the Funds clause, which can effectively kill any executive action from being implemented. You may see more of it in the coming two years.

From the linked article and the legislation:

"The amendment begins:

"No funds, resources, or fees made available to the Secretary of Homeland Security, or to any other official of a Federal agency, by this Act or any other Act for any fiscal year, including any deposits into the 'Immigration Examinations Fee Account' established under section 286)(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)), may be used to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out (including through the issuance of regulations) any of the policy changes set forth in the following memoranda (or any substantially similar policy changes issued or taken on or after January 9, 2015, whether set forth in memorandum, Executive order, regulation directive or any action):"

Everything else Homeland Security requested has been approved.

Now the politics of passing the legislation begins.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/house-passes-dhs-funding-bill-prohibits-obamas-unilateral-amnesty

[Mudcrab]

Isn't Democracy Great?

Seems the US could do with a coup.

But Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,

What the <deleted> is that about?

[casualbiker]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

..

Kindly tell me why all of these foreigners who evaded the law by ignoring the visa process, and who are not required to take any vaccinations, should be welcomed, when my Thai wife must take 5 vaccinations against her wishes, and mine?

Send a letter demanding that they be inoculated then!

What vaccinations?

[Chicog]

Now the politics of passing the legislation begins.

It's more appropriate to call it "the politics of manipulating legislation", whoever does it.

https://downsizedc.org/etp/one-subject/

[willyumiii]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

Really...

Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney don't have the guts to take a stand.

I believe Jeb Bush has a hispanic wife.

How could a real Republican ever marry "one of those people"?

Interesting huh?

[mitsubishi]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shunning a White House veto threat and opposition within their own party, House Republicans approved legislation Wednesday to overturn President Barack Obama's key immigration policies and expose hundreds of thousands of younger immigrants to expulsion from the U.S.

Excellent news! But Obama can just veto it I believe.

[mitsubishi]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

Really...

Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney don't have the guts to take a stand.

I believe Jeb Bush has a hispanic wife.

How could a real Republican ever marry "one of those people"?

Interesting huh?

Well firstly I'm not sure if she is Mestizio or actually Spanish.

Secondly Jeb Bush is NOT a real Republican anyway as he is a neo-con. The only true Republicans are people like Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Pat Buchanan types.

[willyumiii]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

Really...

Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney don't have the guts to take a stand.

I believe Jeb Bush has a hispanic wife.

How could a real Republican ever marry "one of those people"?

Interesting huh?

Well firstly I'm not sure if she is Mestizio or actually Spanish.

Secondly Jeb Bush is NOT a real Republican anyway as he is a neo-con. The only true Republicans are people like Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Pat Buchanan types.

Most people who vote Republican are not real Republicans.

Real Republicans pull in over $200,000 per year and they pass legislation that benefits those in that income bracket.

Most who vote for republicans only fantasize about earning that much some day.

They are not real Republicans, only Republican wanabes.

The Republicans who get their votes love them, but do little to benefit them.

[willyumiii]

This is fantastic.

The Republicans are just confirming that they do have a death wish.

They can not stop the President.

All they are doing is turning all hispanic voters against them as any any voters who support hispanics (like myself).

The number of hispanics and their supporters grows larger every day.

As I stated in a previous post, I am optimistic that I will see the death of the evil Republican party in my life time!

Keep it up boys!

[Anthony5]

Go on Republicans, you're securing victory for a Democrat candidate in the next election.

And I thought only Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot constantly.

..

Kindly tell me why all of these foreigners who evaded the law by ignoring the visa process, and who are not required to take any vaccinations, should be welcomed, when my Thai wife must take 5 vaccinations against her wishes, and mine?

It's not about if those people should be welcomed or not. It's that they kick a lot relatives and sympathizers of those immigrants, and who are eligible voters, in the balls.

Well actually you should thank them, try to imagine you got a third Bush as president.

[Trouble]

As much as I would like to welcome immigrants from all countries to come to the USA, in fact it just can't happen as America would be overrun. I have Thai friends who can't even get a tourist visa to visit the USA but the liberals welcome anyone who sneaks over the border. I am sorry to say that the hispanic immigrants have overwhelmed the school systems, health systems, and many other government service programs and the American taxpayer is footing the bill because as much as the liberals like to imagine that these immigrants pay taxes, they pay very little because they are on the low end of the wage scale and therefore pay little in the way of taxes and certainly do NOT cover even the services they receive.

With 109.631,000 Americans living in households that received benefits from one or more federally funded "means-tested programs" - also known as welfare as of end of 2012, do we need more people entering the USA? Unemployment is currently at 5.6% but realistically it is higher. Sorry but in my book the massive illegal immigration has flooded the labor market making labor cheap and thus the reason for much of the decrease in the middle class. It is a lot more beneficial to hire cheap immigrant labor than to pay higher wages which sustain the middle class. Many of those cheap jobs liberals claim would go unfilled if not for the immigrants might just be filled at a higher wage by unemployed Americans thus sustaining the middle class. Labor is a commodity and the more labor the cheaper it will be, that is why the liberals are always harping about the need for a higher minimum wage. Less immigrant labor and the laws of supply and demand might just raise wages.

[Publicus]

As much as I would like to welcome immigrants from all countries to come to the USA, in fact it just can't happen as America would be overrun. I have Thai friends who can't even get a tourist visa to visit the USA but the liberals welcome anyone who sneaks over the border. I am sorry to say that the hispanic immigrants have overwhelmed the school systems, health systems, and many other government service programs and the American taxpayer is footing the bill because as much as the liberals like to imagine that these immigrants pay taxes, they pay very little because they are on the low end of the wage scale and therefore pay little in the way of taxes and certainly do NOT cover even the services they receive.

With 109.631,000 Americans living in households that received benefits from one or more federally funded "means-tested programs" - also known as welfare as of end of 2012, do we need more people entering the USA? Unemployment is currently at 5.6% but realistically it is higher. Sorry but in my book the massive illegal immigration has flooded the labor market making labor cheap and thus the reason for much of the decrease in the middle class. It is a lot more beneficial to hire cheap immigrant labor than to pay higher wages which sustain the middle class. Many of those cheap jobs liberals claim would go unfilled if not for the immigrants might just be filled at a higher wage by unemployed Americans thus sustaining the middle class. Labor is a commodity and the more labor the cheaper it will be, that is why the liberals are always harping about the need for a higher minimum wage. Less immigrant labor and the laws of supply and demand might just raise wages.

That is a comprehensive and thorough, detailed blurb of every Republican party myth fabrication and fiction against immigration and immigrants that have been created during the past 50 years. The data refuting each fantasy item have been presented to the many immigration threads that have appeared.

Thanks to all of those who would present all of this prejudice for the rest to see.

I have btw sent to the Republican National Committee building in Washington 2016 miles of rope. For their convenience, the rope has several hundred nooses already tied into it for the Republicans in Congress and for the Republican party governors, candidates for president and their hard core supporters to simply slip on as they continue to chase after the myths they themselves have created and which provide for their own political suicide.

‘This is the most unified we have seen Latino public opinion

The poll found that 89% of Latino voters support Obama’s decision to give temporary legal status to nearly five million undocumented immigrants.

Among Latinos who describe themselves as Democrats, Obama’s policy enjoys effectively 100% support, but let’s not overlook the fact that 76% of Republican Latinos support the president’s approach. What’s more, 60% of Latino GOP voters do not want to see their party block the White House’s measure by cutting off funding for the policy.

If the poll is accurate – and all the usual caveats certainly apply – it further helps explain Republican apoplexy. The GOP isn’t just angry about made-up “amnesty” and procedural concerns they’ve struggled to articulate; the right is also worried about the electoral consequences.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-most-unified-we-have-seen-latino-public-opinion#break

[Publicus]

The House passed legislation contains the None of the Funds clause, which can effectively kill any executive action from being implemented. You may see more of it in the coming two years.

From the linked article and the legislation:

"The amendment begins:

"No funds, resources, or fees made available to the Secretary of Homeland Security, or to any other official of a Federal agency, by this Act or any other Act for any fiscal year, including any deposits into the 'Immigration Examinations Fee Account' established under section 286)(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)), may be used to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out (including through the issuance of regulations) any of the policy changes set forth in the following memoranda (or any substantially similar policy changes issued or taken on or after January 9, 2015, whether set forth in memorandum, Executive order, regulation directive or any action):"

Everything else Homeland Security requested has been approved.

Now the politics of passing the legislation begins.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/house-passes-dhs-funding-bill-prohibits-obamas-unilateral-amnesty

The 'no funds clause' that is such a hullaballoo on the right is a 'no votes' clause with 90% of Hispanic voters across the nation.

Don't stop now whatever it all is you guys do over there, just don't stop now.

Keep at it.

Drive on by all means thx....drive on.....

[chuckd]

You criticize me for Breitbart and then you turn around and quote MSNBC?

Hypocrite alert!!!

[Publicus]

You criticize me for Breitbart and then you turn around and quote MSNBC?

Hypocrite alert!!!

The poll is backed up by the Pew Hispanic Center.

[Ulysses G.]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

[Chicog]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

Apparently not.

[thailiketoo]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

Apparently not.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Look at all the polls.

[NeverSure]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

"President Obama and the White House are regrouping after an onslaught of criticism over the president’s decision not to show up in Paris Sunday or send a high-profile surrogate to take part in an anti-terrorism solidarity march."

LINK

[Chicog]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

Apparently not.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Look at all the polls.

I see that Congressional job approval is still in the toilet.

[thailiketoo]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

Apparently not.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Look at all the polls.

I see that Congressional job approval is still in the toilet.

Ah so this thread is about Congressional job approval then? Good switch. Cause you never will win with your line of reasoning above.

[thailiketoo]

You seem to have missed the latest poll somehow. The American people don't trust this president and with good reason.

President Obama’s public approval rating has dropped to just 37 percent, with 55 percent disapproving of his job performance, according to the first Reuters/Ipsos political tracking poll of the year.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dive-just-37-percent-approve-of-obama-in-week-marked-by-paris-mia/article/2558727

"President Obama and the White House are regrouping after an onslaught of criticism over the president’s decision not to show up in Paris Sunday or send a high-profile surrogate to take part in an anti-terrorism solidarity march."

LINK

It was expected as he can't use Muslim and Terrorist in the same sentence. His immigration policy will allow more dangerous people into the USA and it's no wonder the policy is getting reversed.