House says no to policy that defers deportation

WASHINGTON - House Republicans voted Wednesday to block President Obama's immigration plans and end an existing program that has deferred deportation for 500,000 young immigrants called "dreamers."

The 236-191 vote was seen as an aggressive attack that risks temporarily shutting down the Homeland Security Department. But the legislation's prospects in the Senate are uncertain because even some conservatives are queasy about using the Homeland Security Department as leverage in the immigration battle.

Tensions rose as the package was swiftly approved after a long and heated floor debate. Democrats blasted the GOP as anti-immigrant, but Republicans argued they were acting on behalf of American voters who wanted them to rein in presidential overreach.

Both sides acknowledged the end game could shutter the Homeland Security Department because the immigration restrictions were attached to the department's $39.7 billion annual funding bill, essentially daring Obama to veto the package if it passes the Senate. Funding for the department runs out next month.

"The president's overreach is an affront to the rule of law and the Constitution itself," said Speaker John A. Boehner (R., Ohio) in a closing speech on the House floor. "Well, enough is enough. When we said this would not stand, we meant it."

Ten Republicans opposed their party's effort, most of them preferring a more measured approach on immigration. Two Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the package, but most condemned it.

"Not funding DHS is dumb and dangerous," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D., Calif.), who has been a champion for immigration reforms and argued the Republican package "would break apart families."

Obama has threatened to veto the House bill, leaving it little chance of becoming law.

On Wednesday, administration officials blasted Republicans for creating a standoff that was undermining security at the border and elsewhere, while threatening to send long-standing border enforcement policy into disarray.

Cecilia Munoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, argued that House bill left law enforcement with no way to prioritize deportations for the millions of people in the country illegally.

"You're not distinguishing between people among the 11 million who were brought here as children and have grown up in this country and have known no other country and people who have been convicted of serious crimes," she said. "They are equally subject to deportation according to the vote that the House took today, which just doesn't make any sense from a long-term perspective."

Munoz would not say whether the White House would accept some smaller tweaks to the president's action as part of a compromise.

"There's a long way to go in this process," she said. "But obviously the priority of this administration is to fund the department, and there's no reason to tinker with executive actions at all."

Representatives from the Philadelphia area who voted to block President Obama's immigration plans were Ryan Costello (R., Pa.), Charles W. Dent (R., Pa.), Michael Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.), Frank A. LoBiondo (R., N.J.), Tom MacArthur (R., N.J.), Pat Meehan (R., Pa.), Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.), and Christopher H. Smith (R., N.J.).

Voting against the bill were Brendan Boyle (D., Pa.), Robert A. Brady (D., Pa.), John Carney (D., Del.), Matt Cartwright (D., Pa.), Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), and Donald Norcross (D., N.J.). EndText