Boxer, Democratic Leaders Pledge Support For Executive Action On Immigration
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — While congressional Republicans have warned President Barack Obama against moving forward on plans for executive action on immigration reform, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., wants the president to ignore those warnings.
In a public letter released Monday, Boxer pledged "her full support" for widely anticipated executive action from Obama, which some say could come as early as this week.
Boxer cited data from the American Immigration Council and the Center for American Progress showing 11 presidents of both parties, including President Ronald Reagan and President George H.W. Bush, have used their executive authority over the past 60 years "to reunite families and address immigration issues."
Only two presidents have acted unilaterally on immigration, and both were Republican, The Associated Press reported. Reagan and his successor Bush extended amnesty to family members who were not covered by the last major overhaul of immigration law in 1986.
In her letter, the four-term senator also cited a recent USC study that found immigration reform that includes a so-called "path to citizenship" would inject $8 billion in the California economy annually and create as many as 900,000 new jobs nationwide, according to Boxer.
Boxer told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO she hopes for action to be taken before the new Congress, which feature Republican majorities in both houses, is seated.
"To me, it doesn't matter if it's done December or January. ... The sooner the better, especially for us here in California," said Boxer.
Congressional Republicans are in an uproar over the plans and are debating how to thwart the president, with some
having even raised the possibility of impeachment.
The letter released Monday puts Senate Democratic leaders strongly on record in favor of the president acting. Obama delayed taking action earlier this year because of Senate Democrats' political concerns.
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