The topic of President Obama's executive amnesty was hotly discussed at the annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) this week in Florida. Several Republican chief state executives gave their thoughts on the upcoming announcement and how best to deal with the situation.
During the meeting's opening, the outgoing RGA chairman Governor Chris Christie (R-N.J.) made it clear that the talk of a government shutdown over executive amnesty amounted to "hysteria" and "people looking to make news."
As the meeting moved along, governors laid out their thoughts on how Washington could address President Obama's executive amnesty. Governor Mike Pence (R-Ind.), a former House member, endorsed using the "power of the purse" in order to defund any plans President Obama may have to unilaterally change immigration laws.
“Should the president decide to exercise executive authority and overturn American immigration law,” Governor Pence said, then Republicans should use the budget process to “prevent the implementation of policies that are inconsistent with the priorities that were embraced by the vast majority of the country.”
Governor Bobby Jindal (R-La.), also a former House member, indicated that Republicans should do “whatever is effective in getting this president to follow the law.”
“I know that the speaker has talked about, for example, potentially a lawsuit; other Republicans have talked about other measures,” Governor Jindal said in an interview. “We should do whatever it takes to follow the law, but I don’t think the president should shut down the government."
Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas) agreed and called a lawsuit against the Obama administration "a very real possibility."
Amid the discussions about what Washington should do, some governors expressed concern about the impact of executive amnesty on their state.
Governor Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) said that his Republican-controlled State Legislature would never stomach the concept of issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.
“That would be very difficult in our state,” he said.
Several governors did agree that President Obama is going about immigration reform the wrong way with executive actions.
“We have separation of powers in this country for a reason,” Governor Jindal said. “This president, if he wants to change the law, he should go to Congress, get a bill passed, work with the House and the Senate."
“The American people sent a deafening message to Washington, D.C., that they want a change on Capitol Hill,” added Governor Pence. "I think the president has an opportunity now to work with the Congress after it convenes in January and to find a piece-by-piece approach dealing with the issue of immigration reform.”
For more on this story, read Politico and the New York Times
