President Obama is likely to make an announcement regarding a series of executive actions on immigration reform prior to the end of 2014, according to Jeh Johnson, the secretary of Homeland Security. Johnson made the comments while at the Reagan Presidential Library, adding that the current system is badly in need of reform and Congress has failed in its duty to address this issue.
“We’re in the final stages of developing some executive actions,” Johnson admitted. “We have a broken immigration system. The more I delve into it, the more problems I see.” Johnson gave few details in his statement but noted that the executive actions for immigration reform that the president intends to take would be comprehensive in nature and could include measures to strengthen border security.
Republicans have warned Obama that there would be no chance for any bipartisan cooperation on the issue of immigration reform in Congress if he takes executive action, with Senator John McCain urging the president to give the new Congress more time to take action. Senator McCain warned of “serious repercussions” if the president attempts to go it alone.
Some conservatives are trying to ban the funds that Obama would need to implement any moves to allow undocumented immigrants to remain in the country, while a number of Republicans in the House of Representatives, including several House leaders, are looking into alternative methods to stop the president; however, they will stop short of threatening to cause yet another government shutdown.