CNN 2012-06-24

 Well, we begin tonight "Keeping Them Honest" with a major change in immigration policy, the decision to stop deporting 1 some young immigrants who came to the United States as kids, some of them as infants, long before they even knew what immigrant meant. And the Obama administration announced today that it will stop deporting people younger than 30 who came to the United States before they turned 16 as long as they have clean records and were successful students or served in the military. Those young people can apply for a two-year deferral 2 for deportation 3 and if they're accepted they can now have the chance to work legally in the United States. Now in a speech at the White House today, the president said it's a step towards lifting the shadow of deportation from young people who are Americans in every way except on paper. 

 
This is not amnesty. This is not immunity 4. This is not a path to citizenship 5. It's not a permanent fix. This is a temporary stopgap measure that lets us focus our resources wisely while giving a degree of relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic 6 young people. It is the right thing to do. 
 
Well, there was swift reaction from the Republicans. We want to tell you about that in a moment. But we want to show you some heated reaction that came before the president's speech was even over. A reporter from the conservative Web site "The Daily Caller" yelled out some questions along the lines of what about American workers who are unemployed 7 while you employ foreigners? He was yelling these things while the president was still speaking. Take a look. 
 
It is the right thing to do. 
 
... foreigners over American workers? 
 
Excuse me, sir, it is not the time for questions, sir. 
 
Are you going to take questions? 
 
Not while I'm speaking. 
 
And the answer to your question, sir -- and the next time I prefer you let me finish my statements before you ask that question -- is this is the right thing to do for the American people. They did, I didn't, I didn't ask for an argument. I'm answering your question. 
 
That reporter, Neil Munro, says he didn't have any intention of interrupting the president, that he thought the speech was wrapping. He also told CNN that he has to quote, "ask the questions you all won't ask." So do with that what you will. Meanwhile, one of the more temperament 8 responses to the president's speech actually came from Mitt 9 Romney today. Listen. 
 
I believe the status of young people who come here through no fault of their own is an important matter to be considered and should be solved on a long-term basis, so they know what their future would be in this country. I think the action that the president took today makes it more difficult to reach that long-term solution, because an executive order is, of course, just a short-term matter. It can be reversed by subsequent presidents. 
 
Well, just for the record, the change is actually not coming from an executive order, but a change in Department of Homeland Security policy. Still, Romney's point that it's a temporary solution, that is accurate. And it's something President Obama himself actually acknowledged today and something that Senator Marco Rubio of Florida criticized as well today. 
 
He said and I quote, "Today's announcement will be welcome news for many of these kids desperate for an answer, but it is a short-term answer to a long-term problem. And by once again ignoring the Constitution and going around Congress, this short-term policy will make it harder to find a balanced and responsible long-term one, also a pretty measured response when you take a look at some of the reaction from other Republicans today. Some say they're worried about rampant 10 fraud. From Congressman 11 Lamar Smith of Texas quote, "Many illegal immigrants will falsely claim they came here as children. And the federal government has no way to check whether their claims are true." Others insist it's an issue for lawmakers to decide. Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted quote,"President Obama's attempt to go around Congress and the American people is at best unwise and possibly illegal." Congressman Steve King of Iowa went even further saying he plans to sue the Obama administration, saying quote, "This is no longer a debate about immigration policy. The debate is now about the Constitution and the rule of law. I'm preparing to bring suit against the president and ask for a court to enjoin 12 him from implementing 13 his unconstitutional and unlawful policy." Now, the president repeatedly has called for Congress to pass immigration reform legislation. And again today, he called on lawmakers to pass the DREAM Act which would put into law steps for children of illegal immigrants to continue to live and work in the United States. Today's policy change accomplishes that goal at least temporarily. But "Keeping Them Honest," we should point out there was a time not too long ago when President Obama said the onus 14 fell squarely on Congress' shoulders. In fact, he said that he couldn't just decide to make the change and he was obligated to enforce the laws that existed. Listen to what he told a town hall type gathering 15 broadcast on Univision in March last year. 
 
The notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that's just not the case. There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply through executive order ignore those congressional mandates 16 would not conform with my appropriate role as president. 
 
As we said, today's change is not an executive order. But in that club, the president did say it wouldn't be appropriate to ignore mandates from Congress.