From the American Immigration Council:
Much has been made of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)program, through which he deferred deportation for young adults brought to the U.S. as children. But as immigration legal scholar Hiroshi Motomura has noted, the president has broad executive authority to shape the enforcement and implementation of immigration laws, including exercising prosecutorial discretion to defer deportations and streamline certain adjudications. In fact, the history books reveal that President Obama’s action follows a long line of presidents who relied on their executive branch authority to address immigration challenges.
The Council pulled together date to make the nine charts below, which clearly show that presidents have ample legal authority and historical precedent to support their decisions about executive actions on immigration.
The charts collect 39 examples taken over decades. To view the entire report and methodology, visit ImmigrationPolicy.org.
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Tiffany Willis is a fifth-generation Texan and the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
