Alabama congressmen urge House leadership to fight Obama's 'unlawful usurpation of power'

United States Capitol (Photo: Eric B. Walker)

WASHINGTON — Four members of Alabama’s congressional delegation have signed a letter to House leadership asking them to hold strong against pressure from the White House and Senate to pass a DHS reauthorization bill funding President Obama’s executive actions on illegal immigration.

“We write you today to thank you for standing firm and forcing the Senate to act on a Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that stops President Obama’s unlawful executive actions on immigration,” the letter reads. “The House of Representatives continues to reflect the will and sentiment of the majority of Americans by combatting the President’s executive overreach.”

Alabama congressmen Mo Brooks (R-AL4), Bradley Byrne (R-AL1), Gary Palmer (R-AL6), and Martha Roby (R-AL2) joined with at least 16 other members to sign the letter addressed to House Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Majority Whip Steve Scalise.

The letter is particularly timely as it reaches House leadership on the same day Senate leadership announced a compromise with Senate Democrats that would allow the Senate to vote on a bill funding DHS, along with the disputed executive amnesty provisions, until September 30th.

Though a few House Republicans have signaled they would be willing to vote for such a compromise, the congressmen who signed the letter are asking their leadership to stand strong.

Today, Rep. Brooks reportedly told The Hill “there’s no way on God’s green earth” he would vote for a bill funding amnesty.

Other members are confident the courts will sort it out, ultimately ruling in their favor. The Federal District court ruling that declared Obama’s executive actions illegal could take months to go through the appeals process. The White House has said they are willing to defend the President’s amnesty program all the way to the Supreme Court.

“The Federal District Court’s concerns with the President’s executive actions on immigration are very encouraging,” the letter says. “However, we must remember that these decisions are subject to review by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of the United States, and the ultimate fate of the President’s executive action remains in question. For this reason, the Legislative Branch has a responsibility to use its exclusive and constitutionally-granted authority to prevent the President’s unlawful usurpation of power, without waiting for a final interpretation from the Judicial Branch. District Court rulings can be overturned, but the power of the purse is absolute.”

Republicans in Alabama’s Congressional delegation have all been outspoken opponents of President Obama’s plan, not only because it will shield up to 5 million illegal immigrants from deportation, but because it also sets a precedent for usurpation of Congressional and constitutional power.

“Regardless of how we may feel about immigration issues generally,” the letter concludes, “the issue at hand is the preservation of the separation of powers and the preservation of the Constitution. Now is the time to stand firm against these unlawful executive actions.”