President Obama visited Nashville on Tuesday to speak about his plans for immigration reform. After the President’s remarks, Representatives Fleischmann, Duncan and Roe released the following statements:
“Unfortunately, the President used today’s trip to try and sell Tennesseans on his unlawful executive orders - orders even he once said would violate our laws,” Rep. Fleischmann said. “We owe it to the American people to secure our borders, and those waiting to legally enter the country, to enforce the current immigration laws before we make any radical changes. While the President claimed, after the election, that he heard the American people, it’s clear he has not. This is just another example of the President failing to lead, and instead, taking his own path and ignoring the will of the people.”
“The President continues to ignore or gloss over the fact that we already have very detailed immigration laws on the books, and no president has the right or the power to pick and choose which ones to enforce,” stated Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. “This latest executive order will encourage many millions more to come here, illegally if necessary, as President Obama himself said in 2010. The American people are the kindest, most generous people in the world. We have allowed many millions to immigrate here legally over the last 25 or 30 years, far more than any other nation. But our entire infrastructure—our schools, hospitals, jails, roads, sewers, etc.—just could not handle the mega-millions who would come here in the next few years if we simply opened our borders. We must have a legal, orderly immigration system, and it must be enforced.”
Congressman Scott DesJarlais said, “While I am sure this scripted event in Nashville will attempt to present the president in the best possible light, I would encourage him to travel a few miles to the south to Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District and speak with real folks from all walks of life who continue to voice their concerns over his unilateral action on immigration. Although President Obama might wish otherwise, our Constitution does not give him the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing laws conflict with his particular ideology. Fortunately, Congress maintains the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to put a stop to this flagrant usurpation of power.”
“I was disappointed to hear more partisan rhetoric from the President as he spoke in Tennessee today,” said Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. “We can—and should—take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border. But the president’s attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a slap in the face to every naturalized citizen that waited in line to live in this country. Right now we have an opportunity to make changes to our immigration system to help future generations. Rather than repeating past mistakes and kicking the can down the road, we need to implement real reform, but President Obama’s ‘plan’ is about the furthest thing from a long-term solution possible.”
The Tennessee Republican Party released a new ad. The TNGOP ad, "The President Should Listen to Us," highlighted the President's use of "unprecedented power-grabs" and implored Tennessee viewers to call the White House and make their opinions heard.
TNGOP Chairman Chris Devaney said, "Americans want to have a conversation about immigration and, on Election Day, they sent a clear message they want the President to have a dialogue with Republicans. His go-it-alone approach brazenly ignores the will of the American people and undermines the process Tennesseans expect to be followed."