Wall Street Journal
By Laura Meckler
February 25, 2015
Two
former secretaries of Homeland Security, both Republicans, urged GOP
lawmakers to set aside their anger about President Barack Obama’s
executive action on immigration
and provide funding for the department.
“I
personally believe, as a former member of the Congress of the United
States, that the president has gravely overstepped his constitutional
authority,” said Tom Ridge,
who served under President George W. Bush as the first secretary of
homeland security and earlier had been a U.S. representative and
governor of Pennsylvania. He added that Republicans have “every right to
challenge” the move, but said withholding funding
is “wrong, it’s folly.”
They
made their comments at a news conference at the Department of Homeland
Security alongside the current DHS secretary, Jeh Johnson, who has been
campaigning for a full-year
funding measure for his department.
The
Senate was preparing to vote as soon as Wednesday on a measure favored
by Democrats that would extend funding for the rest of the year, after
Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell (R., Ky.) agreed to strip language nullifying Mr. Obama’s
executive actions. But it was unclear whether that measure could pass
the House.
Michael
Chertoff, who served as the second DHS secretary, also under Mr. Bush,
said he understands the “deep concerns” that many have about extending
protections to people
in the U.S. illegally, but pointed to a federal district judge’s
decision to put that part of the action on hold.
“That
matter as it turns out is likely to be dealt with by the courts,” he
said. “What I don’t think make sense is to hold the entire set of
operations of the Department
of Homeland Security in abeyance as a hostage, as the legislative
branch starts to play a game of chicken with the president.”
While
essential personnel will still have to work, he said, they will not
have needed administrative support and they will not be paid.
The
fourth person to serve as agency chief, Democrat Janet Napolitano, was
unable to attend the event but issued a statement supporting full
funding for DHS.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
No comments:
Post a Comment