Obama's immigration reforms protect 5 million from deportation

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Washington - President Barack Obama has ordered far-reaching changes to the US immigration system that will protect nearly 5 million people from deportation, testing the limits of his presidential powers and inviting a showdown with newly emboldened Republicans. In a speech on Thursday night, Obama announced plans to protect nearly 5 million immigrants living illegally in the United States from deportation by granting them work permits; millions more would remain in limbo. Obama said his executive actions were a "commonsense" plan consistent with what previous presidents of both parties had done. "To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill," Obama said. Republicans, who take full control of Congress in January after capturing the Senate from Democrats, warned that Obama would face serious consequences for what they described as an unconstitutional power grab. "The president will come to regret the chapter history writes if he does move forward," declared Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican who is soon to become the Senate majority leader, hours before Obama primetime address. Republicans were united in opposing Obama's move but divided on how to respond. Lawmakers have raised options including lawsuits, a government shutdown and even impeachment. Party leaders who are seeking to avoid a government shutdown say such moves could backfire and anger voters ahead of the next presidential election in two years. Republicans are in a bind over immigration: the US electorate is rapidly becoming more diverse, especially more Hispanic. Republican leaders have said the party risks its long-term future if it does not act to solve America's immigration problems. The White House says the president is exercising his executive authority to tackle immigration reform unilaterally, as Republicans Ronald Reagan and George Bush did before him. The president's broadest decree was expected to apply to about 4.1 million parents who are living in the US illegally but whose children are US citizens or permanent residents. If the parents have been in the US for at least five years, they could apply for protection from deportation and then for work permits. (FA)

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