25 States Now Challenging Constitutionality of Obama’s Executive Amnesty

Updated:
Mon, Dec 22nd 2014 @ 3:14 pm EST

Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery today announced his state has joined the lawsuit filed by attorneys general and governors challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive amnesty. That lawsuit, now brought by 25 states, seeks a preliminary injunction to halt implementation of the president’s plans while the court considers the merits of the case.

In a press release published by Knoxville ABC affiliate WATE, Attorney General Slatery said:

“Our office has carefully considered whether to join this lawsuit and concluded that it is in the best interest of the State to do so. While the subject of the executive action was immigration, the lawsuit is not about immigration. It is really more about the rule of law and the limitations that prevent the executive branch from taking over a role constitutionally reserved for Congress.

“The executive directives issued by the White House and Homeland Security conflict with existing federal law. They replace prosecutorial discretion, normally determined on a case by case basis, with a unilateral nonenforcement policy protecting over 4 million people. The directives also are rules that have been issued without complying with the Administrative Procedures Act.

“(T)he State cannot sit on the sidelines of this case, when unlawful directives of this magnitude grant lawful presence and other rights like work permits to such a large number. Asking a court to review this issue is the prudent choice, especially when state resources will be taxed under the directives to provide benefits like unemployment compensation and health care.”

The other 24 states engaged in the lawsuit are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

https://www.numbersusa.com/news/25-s...cutive-amnesty

by Caroline May
22 Dec 2014

Fully half the states in the union are now part of a lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Less than a month after Barack Obama visited Tennessee to announce his action, Attorney General Herbert Slatery announced that the Volunteer State would be the 25th state to join the legal challenge, saying that doing so “is in the best interest of the state.”

Slatery explained that while the executive actions were about immigration, the lawsuit is largely about the rule of law, Constitution and separations of powers.

“The executive directives issued by the White House and Homeland Security conflict with existing federal law,” Slatery said Monday. “They replace prosecutorial discretion, normally determined on a case by case basis, with a unilateral nonenforcement policy protecting over 4 million people. The directives also are rules that have been issued without complying with the Administrative Procedures Act.”

The Tennessee attorney general reiterated that lawmaking is a job for Congress, not the executive branch.

“Congress can resolve all of the issues raised by this lawsuit, and the executive directives for that matter, by timely enacting legislation,” he said. “But in the meantime the state cannot sit on the sidelines of this case, when unlawful directives of this magnitude grant lawful presence and other rights like work permits to such a large number.”

“Asking a court to review this issue is the prudent choice, especially when state resources will be taxed under the directives to provide benefits like unemployment compensation and health care,” he added.

Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) cheered Slatery’s decision to join the suit shortly after his announcement.

“The President has overstepped his authority to put the interests of those who break our laws over those who come here legally and over the 200,000 Tennesseans who remain out of work,” Black said. “This action cannot stand and we must fight this on every front – whether through the courts or Congress.”

The state’s Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey added his applause Monday as well calling Obama’s actions “unconstitutional.”

“Barack Obama tossed aside not just public opinion but key tenets of our constitutional democracy when he bypassed Congress to grant illegal immigrants defacto amnesty,” he said. “I’m proud that Tennessee will be among the states standing up to this truly shocking display of executive arrogance.”

Tennessee will be joining Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, in the the legal challenge to Obama’s executive actions.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...utive-amnesty/