The Obama administration has started to take the initial public steps to implement the President's controversial executive actions on immigration, setting the date for the first applications from those brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents.
"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Feb. 18, 2015," reads the announcement posted on a special website dealing with the immigration change.
Credit: Jamie Dupree
Credit: Jamie Dupree
The move was swiftly denounced by Republicans in the Congress.
"President Obama is stubbornly forging ahead with his plan, ignoring both the constitutional limits placed on his authority and the will of the American people," said Rep. Robert Goodlatte (R-VA).
"Congress must fight the President’s actions, including taking legal action so that we restore the separation of powers and protect individual liberty," Goodlatte added in a statement released early on Saturday.
The implementation steps were announced as the Congress continues to battle over a GOP plan to block funding for such moves, with a showdown set for Tuesday in the Senate.
The indication from Democrats was that they would filibuster the plan, and not even allow the bill to come up for debate on the Senate floor, as the President's supporters accused Republicans of trying to shut down the Department of Homeland Security.
Expect President Obama to join in that attack on Monday, as he'll make his main budget announcement from Homeland Security, which still doesn't have a finished budget for the current fiscal year.
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