Is it within executive power to grant amnesty?

[ABNAK]

I've heard about Obama's promise to take "generous" executive action concerning amnesty around Labor Day. Can he, as POTUS, grant amnesty without Congressional legislation?

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...re-Get-Amnesty

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I've wondered the same thing. One thing I have noticed is that he will talk a big talk about how active he is going to be and then...... not so much. Look at guns, he said that he was going to take big steps and it was a 10 point plan with no sharp points. Not saying that he isn't going to do it here, but he seems to like to threaten (lines in sand) and then not deliver.

His political gurus must be telling him to make some noise to appease his base, but really take no action so that he doesn't enrage the rest of us and have to face a GOP House AND Senate.

Frankly, he basically has to do nothing and he gets the illegals in, so he really doesn't have to do anything drastic.

[BBossman]

All he has to do is make promises to act and it will keep the flood coming.

[ABNAK]

All he has to do is make promises to act and it will keep the flood coming.

Yeah, I know that is a fact unfortunately. But the question is can he legally grant citizenship/amnesty by himself?

[jpmuscle]

Yeah, I know that is a fact unfortunately. But the question is can he legally grant citizenship/amnesty by himself?

Can he do half the crap he's done thus far legally?

[ralph]

Yeah, I know that is a fact unfortunately. But the question is can he legally grant citizenship/amnesty by himself?

I don't think he can..If he could, then why hasn't he done it? It would be a lot easier than passing a immigration bill through congress.. More blow-hard from a Kenyan socialist....

[BBossman]

Yeah, I know that is a fact unfortunately. But the question is can he legally grant citizenship/amnesty by himself?

The best he can do "legally" is issue an executive order interpreting how an existing law will be enforced. Whether it is legal doesn't matter, because until it is challenged, the federal machine will have its marching orders. It would then need to be challenged in court similar to the chatter about the lawsuit concerning the full enactment of Obamacare. How long does it take for a lawsuit like that to march through the courts? Meanwhile the damage continues...

[TAZ]

He is in a win win situation right now simply due to RepublicRAT ineptitude and testicular fortitude. He fans the flames of racist and hate claiming to write an EO. If in the end he can't or even won't, he can blame the racist Republicans and gets voters out. If he writes an EO he gets the voters out. If he gets impeached or the EO is challenged he blames the racist Republicrats and gets the vote out. He has nothing to worry about. All he has to do is make sure that he doesn't loose the senate in November. The republicans should do nothing but focus on the November elections and insure they keep the house and win the senate back. After that they can do as they will. Sue, impeach whatever.

[Moose-Knuckle]

When has he ever cared (or any modern POTUS for that matter) if something is "legal" or not?

[BoringGuy45]

I worry we've reached a point where if we shut down the borders or begin mass deportations, I would be surprised to see terror attacks and possibly even a civil war. That'll come eventually, when many of these illegal immigrants, who obviously don't care much for our laws, decide that instead of taking advantage of this country, they want to try and take it over.