Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 5759 - Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014

(House)

(Rep. Yoho, R-FL, and 17 cosponsors)

The Administration strongly opposes the substitute amendment to H.R. 5759 that seeks to restrict the President's immigration accountability actions. H.R. 5759 would make the broken immigration system worse, not better. By attempting to restrict the Administration's ability to conduct national security and criminal background checks on undocumented immigrants, H.R. 5759 would make the Nation's communities less safe. By attempting to make it more difficult for undocumented workers to register and pay taxes, the bill would hurt the Nation's economy as well.

The President's recently announced immigration accountability executive actions will help secure the border, hold potentially more than 4 million undocumented immigrants accountable, and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules. In particular, these actions will allow undocumented immigrants who have resided in the United States for five or more years, are not priorities for removal, and are parents of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to seek temporary immigration relief, on a case-by-case basis, by registering, passing background checks, and paying their fair share of taxes. These actions also give additional DREAMers the opportunity to request immigration relief under the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.

The bill's objective is clearly to nullify and block implementation of these executive actions, which would have devastating consequences. It would lead to the separation of families and prevent additional DREAMers from fully contributing to American life. It would also make it more difficult for immigration officials to conduct background checks, for undocumented workers to help the economy by paying taxes, and for the Federal government to focus on removing serious criminals, recent border crossers, and other threats.

The President's actions will increase accountability in the Nation's broken immigration system while he continues to urge the Congress to finish the job and pass commonsense immigration reform that offers meaningful solutions to the broken system.

If the President were presented with H.R. 5759, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.