DHS Secretary: Obama’s Executive Action Consistent With Past Statements

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson is claiming that President Obama’s executive action was consistent with his multiple statements on the illegal nature of executive actions on immigration reform.

During a House committee hearing this morning, Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul pointed out Obama’s past statements telling protesters that he did not have the legal authority to take such actions and it was “not how democracy works.”

“Do you agree with that prior statement?” McCaul asked.

“I know from 30 years as a lawyer that when someone paraphrases remarks from somebody, I want to see the full Q&A,” Johnson said. “I want to see the full context to know exactly what the person said.”

Johnson said that he had looked at “various excerpts” of Obama’s multiple remarks about the legal implications of executive action, and found them consistent with his current actions. “I do not believe that what we have done is inconsistent with that,” he said.

Johnson explained he was confident that Obama’s actions would stand congressional scrutiny.

“I’m satisfied as a lawyer myself and the person who has to come here and defend these actions that what we have done is well within our existing legal authority,” he said.