About 4 million undocumented immigrants were temporarily granted the opportunity to work and reside legally in the United States earlier this month.
Although some of my friends and family are cheerful about this decision, I’m far from thrilled about it.
The economic consequences of President Obama’s plan remain debatable, but its harrowing legal implications are not.
Obama’s latest assertion of executive power embodies another devastating strike to our constitutional system of government. If a policy requires the nullification of Congress and the citizens’ voices in order to be implemented, then it is obviously not in the interest of the general public.
The polls line up with that conclusion. It was found in a Rasmussen poll that 50 percent of voters oppose amnesty while 40 percent support it. The Daily Caller also reported that the GOP, soon to be the majority in Congress, opposes the plan 75 to 90 percent.
The lack of widespread debate and coverage regarding the president’s decision further implies its anticipated unpopularity with the American people. I was stunned to find the breaking news only as mere links at the bottom of major media sites after having headlines of Bill Cosby’s alleged sex crimes flaunted in my face.
Even worse, the White House had neglected to request live broadcast of Obama’s immigration speech from four major networks: CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox. Just as with the Affordable Care Act, the establishment may well be using a lack of transparency to override the will of the people.
Knowing how porous our borders are, this decision will only encourage more illegal immigration and exacerbate the issue. Additionally, current estimates raise its economic sustainability into question.
The immigration plan is projected to cost taxpayers an extra $40 billion per year, according to the Daily Caller. You can put that into perspective by piling a $22,000 tax on your student loan debt.
Frustrated with a rising disapproval from American citizens, it seems this decree is nothing but a desperate attempt by the Obama Administration to boost its ratings through the growing Hispanic population.
I can agree with a more narrow immigration reform policy or even providing legitimate relief to Latin America.
I’ve personally recognized that many undocumented immigrants are indeed hardworking contributors to our country and deserving of legal ?residency.
However, a $2 trillion public relations stunt passed dictatorially under the cover of darkness is ?unacceptable.
Congress, as well as citizens, must cease its complacency with becoming a vestigial part of our government structure.
The Executive Branch is simply there to execute the law devised by the consent of the governed, not create it out of thin air.
Obama’s impeachment is a necessary response to his deplorable abuse of power. It would be pivotal in upholding the law and possibly avoiding even more disagreeable executive actions in the future.
edharo@indiana.edu
