Washington, DC — Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s announcement that he will take executive action to overhaul the nation’s immigration system.
“I am committed to fixing our country’s broken immigration system because it will make us a more humane and prosperous nation. It’s been more than 500 days since the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, but the House Republican majority still refuses to allow a vote on this important legislation. We can no longer afford this obstruction.
“While I believe the best solution is for Congress to pass the Senate’s bipartisan immigration bill, the President’s temporary action will protect our nation’s security, strengthen our economy and prevent families from being torn apart. It will bring millions of people out from the shadows so that they are paying taxes, and it will allow us to prioritize the deportation of immigrants who have committed crimes or are security risks. I will continue urging Congress to pass a long-term solution to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our nation’s values.”