Durbin: Obama order does not go far enough

The executive order coming from President Obama to protect millions of immigrants from deportation falls short, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said Thursday.

Durbin, an author of the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill and the second-ranking member of the Senate Democratic leadership, called Obama’s action a good first step, but argued it should do more.

“Here’s the problem we have. I’d like to see all of the families of Dreamers be protected,” he told reporters.

{mosads}Obama’s order does not cover the parents of illegal immigrants who came to the country illegally at a young age and were protected from deportation by an expansion of immigration law by the Department of Homeland Security in 2012. Nor will the order cover farm workers, he said.

“It’s the opinion of the White House counsel that you cannot build executive action on top of executive action so they had to be careful in the way that this was written to comply all the precedents and law on the subject,” Durbin said, explaining why the parents of the Dreamers aren’t covered.

Durbin said he respected the president’s decision, however.

“I think this is as far as the president believes he can go,” he said.

He said some pro-immigrant advocates will “want more [and] I don’t blame them, I want more.”

He called Obama’s move a first step and reiterated his call on Senate Republicans to pass comprehensive legislation, which he noted would address many issues left untouched by executive action, such as border security and H-1B visas for highly skilled workers.

“I think this is a positive step forward,” he added.

Senate Democratic leaders held a press conference highlighting the 511 days that have passed since the upper chamber has passed immigration reform legislation without action by the House.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he was satisfied overall with the scope of Obama’s action.

“We have a very broad program that I understand will allow some 5 million people to have their status readjusted. That’s pretty good,” he said. 

Republicans have denounced Obama for acting alone, calling it a grave overreach that flouts the will of Congress and voters.