Luis Gutierrez Demands Executive Amnesty By Thanksgiving: 'We Will Not Tolerate Another Disillusionment'

After conceding that he had lost his argument for executive amnesty “by the end of summer,” Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) demanded that President Barack Obama grant temporary amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants by Thanksgiving.

“President Barack Obama, we’re waiting for Thanksgiving, and we’re waiting for the blessings of this Thanksgiving in which millions of families–immigrant families–can finally rejoice that they have an Americain which they’re being protected and included,” Gutierrez told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday.

Gutierrez said that he and Obama agree that the president has the legal authority to enact executive actions, and Gutierrez praised Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who has given Obama his recommendations on executive actions, for being a “man of great compassion” who wants to “ensure fairness and equity.”

Though Gutierrez said that he is “not giving up on President Barack Obama,” he warned Obama against another delay. 

“If the Republicans come back after the midterm elections and ask the president of the United States… to delay his executive action, I say ‘no, no, and no,'” Gutierrez said. “The community will not tolerate another disillusionment.” 

Gutierrez said he is going to work with immigrant communities to mobilize support before Thanksgiving. In a previous appearance on the network, Gutierrez urged pro-amnesty advocates to publicize the stories of illegal immigrants who are about to be deported to try to gin up support in the media for executive amnesty. Even though 63% of Americans are opposed to illegal immigrants getting work permits, Gutierrez said he believed that Americans will think that granting work permits to illegal immigrants is “the right thing to do.”