By Kelly Monitz
Published: January 17, 2015

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, took action this week in the fight against illegal immigration that he has been talking about for a decade.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill that defunds President Barack Obama’s executive amnesty program for illegal immigrants which included several amendments and a lead amendment that the congressman co-authored.

Barletta, who helped pen the amendment with Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama and Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, hailed the passage of the bill and amendments as a victory for working Americans and the role of law in America.

“It’s a long road from fighting as a small-town mayor,” he said, adding that he appreciated the leadership giving him a seat at the table to do something about illegal immigration.

The bill that funds the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through September now goes onto the U.S. Senate, where Barletta hopes it will also pass.

“I’m happy that we passed a strong bill in the House and we are passing a strong bill onto the Senate and we’ll see what happens,” he said. “It’s important that the Senate pass this bill.”

The Aderholt/Mulvaney/Barletta amendments stop Obama’s executive amnesty by preventing funds from any source to be used to carry out the executive actions the president announced in November, and also prevents any funds from being used to carry out the so-called Morton Memos, which directed immigration officials to ignore broad categories of illegal immigrants.

The Morton Memos refer to orders that John Morton, former director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, issued in 2011 — three years before the president’s executive action, he said.

“Twenty-two times the president said that he couldn’t do what he just did and my bill agrees with him,” Barletta said. “It stops his illegal amnesty and prevents him and any other American president from doing it again.

“The bill protects American workers, the separation of powers and the safety of our country,” he said. “The President isn’t an emperor or king and can’t make his own laws.”

The bill also unties the hands of local and state law enforcement, such as Beaver Meadows Police Chief Mike Morresi who had been instructed by ICE officials in the past to release illegal immigrants that he arrested.

“My bill defunds all that,” Barletta said. “ICE agents will not be able to let people go.”

Some 36,000 criminal illegal immigrants have been set free nationwide and many will be involved in crimes again, forcing law enforcement to deal with them again, he said.

The bill also stops illegal immigrants from collecting federal benefits, such as Social Security and Medicare, Barletta said.

“It’s a big deal to have this opportunity to be a part of something I’ve been talking about for a long time,” he said.

Obama stated that he would veto the bill should the Senate pass it. The Senate would then have the opportunity to override the president’s veto, Barletta said.

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