W.Va. Dem on Obama immigration policy: ‘Wrong as he can be’
Washington Free Beacon ^ | June 18, 2012 | Washington Free Beacon Staff
Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 11:19:58 AM by Kaslin
Rep. Nick Rahall (D., W.Va.) criticized sharply President Obama’s immigration policy in a Monday statement, saying the president is “as wrong as he can be” on the issue:
“We are a nation of immigrants. But I believe that the president is wrong on this issue — as wrong as he can be,” said Rahall. “For every immigrant who came to this country legally, abiding by the process and respecting the law, this action is a slap in the face. For the American workers, who will be forced to compete for American jobs against immigrant aliens, this action is a slap in the face.”
“The Constitution requires the president to enforce the law. It authorizes the president to recommend changes to the law. It does not — does not — permit the president to selectively choose which laws to enforce,” said Rahall. “More important than party, and more important than presidential politics, must be the upholding of the constitution and seeing to it that the laws are faithfully executed. This action may make for good politics in some quarters of our Nation, but it sets a terrible and dangerous precedent.”
Rahall is one of three prominent West Virginia Democrats—Rahall, Sen. Joe Manchin, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin—who will not attend the Democratic National Convention, Politico reported Monday.
