The majority of Arizona’s congressional delegation issued statements in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling today in United States v. Texas. The Court upheld a Texas judge’s injunction against the Obama administration’s executive amnesty.
Representatives Martha McSally, David Schweikert, Trent Franks and Kyrsten Sinema failed to issue a statement, tweet or post to Facebook on the matter.
Rep. Matt Salmon:
“For years, this Administration has tried to redefine the term ‘prosecutorial discretion’ as meaning the Executive Branch has the sole ability to make law. If the President doesn’t like a law, simply don’t enforce it. If he wants a law that the Congress won’t pass, simply invent a ‘regulation’ and enforce that as ‘law’. Today, the Supreme Court, equally divided, affirmed that this is actually unlawful.
“No other President has so brazenly disregarded the fundamental duty of his office to ‘take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed’. The matter is now settled, there is no equivocation. With this ruling, the President must now accept the will of the people and enforce our nation’s immigration laws.”
Rep. Paul Gosar:
Today’s Supreme Court decision is a major victory for the Rule of Law, our Constitution and the American people. The Court’s ruling left in place Judge Andrew Hanen’s injunction that blocks President Obama’s unconstitutional November 2014 executive amnesty orders. Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 of the Constitution grants Congress clear jurisdiction with regard to U.S. citizenship and immigration matters…not the president. While this fight is not over, today’s decision sends a strong message that the Rule of Law still reins in America.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva:
In November 2014, President Obama announced Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs. In February 2015, a federal district court in Texas issued an injunction against the executive orders, placing their implementation on hold and preventing them from helping millions of people. Today’s 4-4 tie allows the district court decision to stand, placing an injunction on the implementation of both policies. A rehearing can be requested due to the vacancy on the Supreme court.
“Today’s 4-4 Supreme Court ruling allows a flawed injunction against the expansion of DACA and DAPA to stand, leaving vulnerable people all across the country to continue suffering under an immigration system that splinters families and betrays our values,” Rep. Grijalva said. “The silver lining is that a 4-4 tie is not precedent setting, and I hope that the Court revisits this vital issue with the urgency it deserves.
“But this does emphasize why the Republican refusal to confirm a ninth Supreme Court justice is so toxic to our legal system and our society. We are a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws, and both of those facts are betrayed by a political party that undermines the integrity of our highest court and attacks our president’s legal efforts to help aspiring Americans. I appreciate President Obama’s efforts to act where Republicans wouldn’t, but in light of this ruling, he must redouble his efforts to ensure innocent families do not continue to suffer. I will continue to work with this administration and the next to create a common sense immigration process once and for all.”
Rep. Ruben Gallego:
While today’s disappointing decision doesn’t set Supreme Court precedent, it is an unfortunate setback for the immigrant families who now must continue to live in fear of separation.
The DAPA and expanded DACA programs are a legal, commonsense exercise of the President’s longstanding authority to determine how to best use our resources and determine priorities when it comes to our immigration laws.
This fight is not over. I will continue to work with the tireless advocates who are fighting to protect immigrant families and to make sure that every member of our community can live in dignity.
I am confident that this case will again be brought to the Supreme Court, and next time will be heard by a full panel of justices who will see through the political motives of this case and deliver a clear decision.
In the meantime, it’s time for my Republican colleagues in Congress to stop playing games and start doing their jobs. Let’s get to work and reform our broken immigration system.
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick:
“I’m deeply disappointed in this deadlocked ruling, which will have a harmful ripple effect on thousands of Arizona families. But it didn’t have to be this way. When people express their disgust with Washington, it’s because of shameful partisan displays like the Senate Republicans’ obstructionism of the Supreme Court’s vacant seat. These elected officials, happy to collect their taxpayer-funded salaries, refused to do their jobs and fill the vacancy. In fact, some stated within hours of Justice Antonin Scalia’s death that they would not consider anyone the president nominates to the Supreme Court. This behavior is a disgrace to the Senate and the Constitution.
“This important judicial case has now been impacted by a partisan political battle. But we can’t forget that this is about people. This is about the future of families that are working and struggling to be a part of the American Dream. Today, thanks to Senate obstructionists, these families face a heightened risk of deportation, instability and hardship. That’s just wrong, and we must do better. As a border state, Arizona has suffered from Washington’s refusal to fix our broken immigration system. Arizona families want reform. Educators, farmers, small-business owners, chambers of commerce and many others want reform. Yet House GOP leaders continue to block reform. Congress needs to pass comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together, grows our economy and protects our border communities.”
Senator John McCain:
“The Supreme Court ruling today affirms that the president’s unilateral actions, which have marked his lame-duck term, will not stand. This decision further emphasizes that the president cannot rewrite the laws he finds problematic, nor skirt the separation of powers whenever he finds it convenient.
“Immigration is an issue that must be debated and decided by the representatives of the people, not by executive fiat. I hope that after today’s ruling, Congress can get back to work advancing bipartisan solutions to fix our broken immigration system once and for all.”