On Tuesday The New York Times published a long news article on the status and prospects of President Obama’s “audacious and far-reaching” assertion of executive power nearly a year ago vowing to give amnesty to four million or so illegal aliens. Twenty-six states, asserting that Obama’s action was illegal and unconstitutional, brought suit and obtained an injunction. The case now awaits a decision from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which observers predict will go against the administration, forcing an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Times article does not discuss the legal merits of the case, rather it examines the political implications. Pro-alien activists are accusing the appeals court of politically-motivated delay, and promising to make the failure to give millions of “undocumented immigrants” the right to stay in the U.S. an election issue against the GOP.
Even if the case should make it to the Supreme Court and the Court uphold Obama’s executive actions, he would only have a few months left in office to begin implementing his scheme, which could be halted by a possible Republican successor.
Posted 10/14/15 by Margaret Hull