Black bill aims to stop funds for Obama immigration acts

No money should go to help President Barack Obama enact the executive orders he announced Thursday to delay deportation for 5 million immigrants, according to new proposed legislation from Rep. Diane Black.

The Tennessee Republican teamed up with GOP Rep. Ted Poe of Texas to create the "Separation of Powers Act." The move is an attempt to stop any public funds from going toward deferring any deportations "or other immigration relief," according to a news release.

"President Obama will regret this decision," Black said in the release. "The American public has loudly voiced their objections to the President circumventing Congress like this, and now President Obama has ignored the will of the people and set a terrible precedent for future administrations."

Many Republicans, including the Tennessee federal delegation, disapprove of the president's plan. They accuse him of overstepping his bounds as president and usurping the powers of the Congress.

The president, citing numerous national legal authorities, says there is precedent and a need for the executive action. He called on Congress to pass a bill if they have a problem with his move; while the House has passed some piece-meal legislation addressing immigration reform, they rejected a Senate bill considered comprehensive and have not created their own overarching plan.

There are about 124,000 immigrants believed to be living illegally in Tennessee.

The Black and Poe bill attempts to do two things: stops funds from being appropriated "or otherwise made available" to defer deportations or to provide work permits or green cards.

While attempts to prevent funding Obama's orders were expected by the GOP, the Republican head of the appropriations committee told NBC News there was little point in such a move. NBC News reports:

"The primary agency for implementing the President's new immigration executive order is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)," said House Appropriations Committee chairman Hal Rogers in a statement Thursday. "This agency is entirely self-funded through the fees it collects on various immigration applications. Congress does not appropriate funds for any of its operations, including the issuance of immigration status or work permits, with the exception of the "E-Verify" program. Therefore, the Appropriations process cannot be used to "de-fund" the agency. The agency has the ability to continue to collect and use fees to continue current operations, and to expand operations as under a new Executive Order, without needing legislative approval by the Appropriations Committee or the Congress, even under a continuing resolution or a government shutdown."

Some in the GOP have hinted at government shutdowns or impeachment, but the Republican leadership have for now shied away from endorsing such moves.

In the meantime, expect many other bills similar to the legislation from Black and Poe.

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.