White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett is not pleased with the Republican effort to defund President Obama’s executive action on immigration reform, arguing that his actions have actually improved the immigration system.
“Rather than trying to reverse what the president did, which will strengthen our immigration system, keep America safe, why not pass a bill?” she asked during an interview with CNN this morning.
Jarrett signaled disappointment that Speaker John Boehner called Obama’s actions illegal and accused the president of failing to properly understand the Constitution.
Jarrett reminded Americans that the president was “a constitutional law scholar” who was certain that his actions on immigration were “very well within his legal authority.”
She encouraged House Republicans to pass a bill, insisting that “the American people have been waiting for them to take action” on immigration reform, pointing out that the Senate had already passed a bipartisan comprehensive bill in 2014.
“[L]et’s encourage this new Congress to do the same,” she said. “Let’s get this settled on a comprehensive basis once and for all.”