Report: Obama To Announce Immigration Executive Order On Friday UPDATE: Speech To The Nation Thursday Night

CNBC’s John Harwood is reporting that the President is expected to announce the details of his much talked about executive action on immigration in a speech in Las Vegas on Friday:

President Barack Obama plans to announce an executive order in Las Vegas on Friday to address immigration reform, CNBC has confirmed.

Another source familiar with the situation told CNBC that Obama could yet give a broader outline on an immigration order on Thursday and add detail on Friday.

The president has been long expected to make an announcement that would protect up to five million unauthorized immigrants from the threat of deportation and provide work permits.

Partisan fighting erupted in the summer over how to address the increased flow of unaccompanied minors from Central America at the U.S. border with Mexico

Obama has asked for $3.7 billion to address the border crisis. In the summer, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, however, passed a measure that only gave Obama a fraction of what he sought and made it easier to deport the young migrants arriving at the border, a provision opposed by Democrats and immigration advocates. In the end, Congress adjourned without a final bill.

The Democratic-led Senate last year passed a broad overhaul of immigration with support from some Republicans that boosted border security, increased visas for legal immigrants and a provided a path to citizenship for immigrants illegally in the country.

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported the broad outlines of the kind of executive action the President is contemplating earlier this week. Whether this is what we’ll see on Friday, or even if the reports today are true or end up getting changed. But, it it would appear that the President has decided to go forward with this notwithstanding the warnings from Congressional leaders in the GOP and the observations of some political observers that action at this point will end up making the next two years in Washington difficult to navigate to say the very least.

Update: NBC News is reporting that the President will speak to the nation about his plan on Thursday night:

FILED UNDER: Borders and Immigration, US Politics, , , , , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. stonetools says:

    But, it it would appear that the President has decided to go forward with this notwithstanding the warnings from Congressional leaders in the GOP and the observations of some political observers that action at this point will end up making the next two years in Washington difficult to navigate to say the very least.

    Is irony, at last, dead?

  2. Moosebreath says:

    @stonetools:

    “Is irony, at last, dead?”

    No, as some wag wrote, it’s just lost on the brassy.

    That said, I am re-posting from another thread because it really needs to be repeated until it sinks into the collective skull of the nation:

    Another good response to Republicans’ collective hissy-fit, this time from Kevin Drum:

    “Look: Republicans can decide for themselves if they want to go to war. If they want to pass yet another bill repealing Obamacare, that’s fine. If they want to sue the president over the EPA or immigration, that’s fine. If they want to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, that’s fine. I assume Obama will win some of these battles and lose others, but in any case will treat them as the ordinary cut and thrust of politics instead of declaring them calculated insults that have infuriated him so much he can’t possibly ever engage with the GOP again. In other words, he’ll act like an adult, not a five-year-old.

    This is what we expect from presidents. Why don’t we expect the same from congressional Republicans? Why are they allowed to stamp and scream whenever something doesn’t go their way, and everyone just shrugs? Once and for all, why don’t we demand that they act like adults too?”

  3. C. Clavin says:

    Hard to imagine this speech without Obama calling out Republicans for doing nothing. Clearly he is going to have to lay out his reasons for acting unilaterally. That reason is a Republican party that refuses to act.
    So maybe instead of cowering in the face of Republican threats…as James suggests he should do…this is Obama’s way of setting the tone for the next two years. Hey Republicans…do something. Anything. Besides just whining and complaining.

  4. Brett says:

    So he’s moving up the time table. Good for him.

    I expect, of course, a lawsuit against it that may ultimately end up in the Supreme Court, and rumblings about impeachment in the House.

  5. wr says:

    Dang, any my flight to Beijing boards in half an hour… I’m going to miss all the heads exploding!

  6. JKB says:

    Bold, he is, preempting Big Bang Theory and the final season of Two and a Half Men. Or will CBS preempt profitable fare for a perpetually late, lame duck, chatterbox?

    Not to mention, the Ferguson Grand Jury may return their decision today or tomorrow. They need to hurry or wait a week because if the riots disrupt Thanksgiving Day travel there will few sympathetic to the cause.

  7. michael reynolds says:

    @wr:

    Why are you heading to China? I’m jealous. When we adopted our daughter (Tongling, in Hefei province) SARS had just hit and no one knew how seriously to take it, so I stayed in the States with our son and my wife got the trip. I got screwed out of a China trip.

  8. James Pearce says:

    @JKB: Are you trying to be funny or something?

  9. JKB says:

    @James Pearce:

    Just pointing out, most people will be unhappy that Obama interfered with their television shows.

    and there is a fair chance he’ll be overrun by the Ferguson GJ decision, especially if there is violence. This would be very amusing given all that Obama and Holder have done to stoke the fires and prime protestors for riot.

  10. JKB says:

    Looks like a reprieve for Obama with the grand jury meeting on Friday for possible decision. If that happens then the 48 hr notice for law enforcement means no public announcement until Sunday.

    I suppose they had to finally start providing some information as the St Louis area has been shutting down with a concert on Thursday canceled in anticipation. Poor management all around with the local governments already clamoring to raise taxes to make up their loses.

    The Gateway Pundit

  11. Jeremy R says:

    @JKB:

    Just pointing out, most people will be unhappy that Obama interfered with their television shows.

    I’m pretty sure the speech isn’t going to be carried live on the big three networks, so your Thursday Reality TV programming should be safe. Univision will be airing it as will the cable news networks.

  12. James Pearce says:

    @JKB:

    Just pointing out, most people will be unhappy that Obama interfered with their television shows.

    Oh, I’m sure there will be people who get upset over something so silly, but it won’t be “most” and the people who do get upset can be assuaged with a warm glass of milk, a cookie, and a sticker that says “Grow the f#$@ up.”

    As for the Ferguson thing, you seem to be genuinely concerned that “the riots (will) disrupt Thanksgiving Day travel.” And really, man, that’s what you’re worried about?

    That’s why I asked if you were trying to be funny. You don’t have to think Michael Brown was murdered to be worried about bigger things.

  13. An Interested Party says:

    …a perpetually late, lame duck, chatterbox…

    Hmm, despite your low opinion of him, he certainly seems to have your fellow travelers up in arms with what he might soon do regarding immigration…why would they worry so much about someone who is supposedly so late and lame…

  14. Tyrell says:

    “No new taxes!”

  15. JKB says:

    @An Interested Party:

    You should be concerned about what President Cruz will do given the precedent of unilateral Presidential actions set by Obama.

  16. PJ says:

    @JKB:

    You should be concerned about what President Cruz will do given the precedent of unilateral Presidential actions set by Obama.

    Concerned? About what Ted Cruz will do? While he’s imaging being President of the United States? Nah.

  17. al-Ameda says:

    @JKB:

    You should be concerned about what President Cruz will do given the precedent of unilateral Presidential actions set by Obama.

    That Cuban-Canadian usurper?
    He’ll never get past the birth certificate issue.

  18. Jenos Idanian #13 says:

    President Cruz’s first executive order: overturning Obama’s amnesty order.

    President Cruz’s second executive order: directing the Treasury to not collect capital gains taxes in excess of 10%.

    President Cruz’s third executive order: directing the Treasury to not collect corporate income taxes in excess of 25%.

    President Cruz’s fourth executive order: directing the Treasury to not collect personal income taxes in excess of 25%.

    President Cruz’s fifth order: exercising “prosecutorial discretion” and directing that no one be charged with tax fraud as long as they comply with Orders 2, 3, and 4 above.

    Shall we go on?

  19. OzarkHillbilly says:

    @JKB: Jeebus, the stupid… it hurts. You could look at Obama in the context of history instead of the context of FOX news… wait a minute, silly me, you think the gateway pundit is a credible source. I know more about STL than he ever will and I don’t even live there anymore.

  20. cd6 says:

    This is fun

    President Cruz’s sixth order: delcare that the skyrocketing national debt is actually just “the cost of freedom” and everyone has to pretend we are running a surplus

    President Cruz’s seventh order: newspapers and tv aren’y allowed to report that all the credit agencies just downgraded the US to like level E or wahtever the lowest level is

    President Cruz’s eighth order: Stop making fun of my stupid voice or my moist, kissable lips, you guys. I’m a manly man! Really!

    President Cruz’s ninth order: Please print more money, we ran out of money after 18 minutes of my crazy “collect no income taxes” plan

  21. Tyrell says:

    @Brett: What is so good about it? Give some specifics.
    The last thing we need is some action that encourages even more to roll through the borders illegally like it is Black Friday at the shopping mall. No more of the bus loads roaming the country that had gang members and drug pushers on board. The president should be finding ways to discourage illegal entry into this country.That is what most of the people want.
    Any sort of amnesty will be a slap in the face to those people who followed the laws and procedures, waiting patiently for their turn to enter this country . Entering with pride, not sneaking in.

  22. wr says:

    @michael reynolds: This is actually my second China trip this fall — first to help develop a TV series, this time to work on a slate of fantasy films. Last time I got lucky — blue skies. This time I’m getting the full Beijing experience, including air that smells like creosote.

    The food is amazing, though. And I’ve been promised next time I come I’ll get out of Beijing and see a little of the country…