The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization says President Obama would be putting “politics above national security” if he goes ahead with executive action on immigration.
“At a time when [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria] and other terrorist organizations are killing innocent Americans, it makes no sense to let our guard down and send a message that the United States is an open, soft target,” said American Legion National Commander Michael D. Helm in a statement Thursday.
{mosads}”A message was sent during the recent elections, and it clearly wasn’t that Americans want amnesty,” Helm added, referring to the GOP securing a Senate majority and making gains in the House.
“The American Legion urges the president in the strongest possible terms to put our security, and our citizens’ interests and wishes, ahead of providing amnesty for millions of immigrants here illegally.”
The president is scheduled to make a prime-time address Thursday evening in which he will announce executive action that could defer deportations for as many as 5 million illegal immigrants.
White House officials say the president is acting unilaterally because Republicans in Congress failed to act on comprehensive immigration reform.
Helm said that the American Legion “fully supports legal immigration,” adding that many of the organization’s members are immigrants who legally migrated from other countries, including his predecessor, Fang Wong.
“The United States has benefited enormously from citizens who have obeyed the law in the journey to becoming Americans,” he said. “These patriotic Americans help make our country great. One common characteristic is that they have earned their citizenship the legal way.
“Rewarding illegal immigration is a slap in the face to those who have obeyed the law and patiently went through the process,” he added.