Executive Order- Immigration
Balance of Powers?
Unbalanced Powers
President Obama recently passed a law that allows illegal immigrants to stay in the United States. However, President Obama used his Executive Order advantage. This means that the president is able to pass laws without the consult of the Judicial or Legislative Branch of Government. The Executive Order goes against four of our 6 Big Ideas.
- Popular Sovereignty: Popular Sovereignty is the authority of the government flows from the people and they rule through their representatives. When the president passes a law, using Executive Order, he or she has taken away the people's voice/votes. When the government passes a law, the are suppose to allow the state's representatives to vote for or against that law. When a law passes through Executive Order, there is no mandatory voting system.
- Separation of Powers: Separation of Powers states that each branch of government has its own responsibilities and limitations. The Legislative Branch of Government is suppose to be the law making branch (stated in Article 1 of the Constitution of Independence). The Executive Branch of Government has the right to carry out these laws (stated in Article 2 of the Declaration of Independence). The Executive Order occurs when the Legislative Branch does not get a say in the laws that are passed, which is in their power as that branch of government.
- Checks and Balances: Checks and Balances are when each of the three branches of government exercise some control over the others, sharing the power between them. However, Executive Order does not allow for any of the other branches to override the law. When a law is being passed, without Executive Order, that law will be seen by all three branches of government before officially being stated as a law.
- Limited Government: Limited Government is the powers of the government are restricted by the Constitution. The Framers of the Constitution of Independence created the Constitution for many reasons, one of which is the fear that the government could gain too much power and let history repeat itself. Executive Order is allowing the government to have power over the people. In fact, this allows one branch of government to stand over the other two.
Immigration Law
President Obama's new immigration law allows illegal immigrants to stay in the United States; however, the law states that the illegal immigrants must meet certain criteria. They must pay all of their taxes and an additional penalty fee, learn to speak English, and have lived in the United States for at least 5 years. Lastly, a background check in required for each illegal immigrants. If all of these requirements are filled and passed, he or she can become a US citizen.
Presidential Announcement
President Obama publicly announced the main benefit of his law, which is families staying together. In his speech, he said, "Felons, not families. Criminals, not children." Obama believes that we have been punishing innocent children and separating families that were looking for a better life.
Effects of the Law
There are many pros and cons towards this new law. However, some of the Republic representatives state, after President Obama's final term in office, they will impeach his law on immigration. Other representatives say they will sue. The Democratic Party takes pride in this law. There is a fear of a government shutdown later. A government shutdown is a time in which the government does nothing. The government does not pass any more laws to allow the operation of the government. Without the passage to make new laws the government also looses the ability to raise new money to pay bills.
Sources
Photos:
-http://www.floreslawoffice.com/images/LawImmigration.jpg (Immigration Law)
-http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/5-watch-president-obama-primetime-speech-article-1.2018190 (Presidential Announcement)
Facts:
-http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration (Digging Deeper)
-http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/5-watch-president-obama-primetime-speech-article-1.2018190 (Article)