Pelosi Slams House Republicans For Pushing 'Anti-Immigrant' Agenda

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi criticized a resolution brought forward by House Republicans on Thursday, St. Patrick's Day, that will authorize the Speaker of the House to file what she described as an "anti-immigrant" amicus brief in the Supreme Court.

Rep. Pelosi (D-California) said House Republicans refrained from telling members of the "House or American people what they are planning to say" in the amicus brief.

The House Republicans voted Thursday to intervene in a Supreme Court case over deportation relief programs announced by President Barack Obama in 2012 and 2014, which many Republicans consider amnesty for undocumented immigrants.

Pelosi and other Congressional Democrats argue that members of the House were voting to authorize the creation of an amicus brief, but were not actually allowed to know the contents of the brief.

Pelosi said the House Republicans' resolution came, "Today, as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day – honoring the contributions of generations of Irish immigrants and their descendants to the fabric of America – House Republicans spent the day talking about immigration in a negative way, in an insulting manner to immigrants everywhere."

The congresswoman, and House minority leader, spoke on the House floor Thursday, regarding the executive action on immigration.

Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, said the past rhetoric of Republicans raised serious questions on what would be filed in that amicus brief: "Will the Republicans yet again call for tearing apart families? Will they call for deporting DREAMERs? Will they yet again suggest a religious test for prospective immigrants? Will they ask the court to explore ending birthright American citizenship, as they did in their immigration subcommittee hearing?"

House Democrats, Pelosi said, were also denied the opportunity to have a vote on an alternative amicus brief, filed by 225 Democrats in Congress last week, in support of President Obama's executive actions on immigration.

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on the House Floor Thursday that the President's executive actions on immigration overstepped his role and that such actions threatened the U.S. Constitution.

Pelosi said House Republicans were similar to the 2016 Republican presidential candidates, "when it comes to a record of appalling anti-immigrant statements and agenda of discrimination."

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case on April 18.

By Hannah Albarazi - Follow her on Twitter: @hannahalbarazi.

In:
• Immigration
• Nancy Pelosi