U.S. Sen. Rand Paul says President Barack Obama’s executive actions are creating what he calls a “major Constitutional crisis.”
At a stop in Lexington Friday, Kentucky’s junior Senator told reporters it’s not the details of Obama’s immigration policy prescriptions that trouble him but the way in which he’s enacting them.
While Paul expressed support for some parts of the plan, including expanding work visas, the potential 2016 GOP presidential contender characterized the executive actions as lawless and grounds for possible legal action.
"You can have executive orders that further congressional action like execute what Congress wanted you to do," he said. "But you can't do stuff that's the opposite of what Congress wants you to do. So I think it's going to be pretty clear cut here and there's a very good chance this could go to the Supreme Court."
The Obama administration, however, is arguing it has the authority to go it alone on the immigration changes, even opting to release the usually-private formal Justice Department memo laying out the legal framework for the actions.
Meanwhile, Paul says he would back a House resolution declaring that the president is creating new law and violating the Constitution in the process.
