Cornyn: Obama needs ‘remedial civics’ lesson

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) blasted President Obama’s executive order on immigration, saying the president needs a “remedial civics 101” course to refresh his understanding of the Constitution’s separations of power.

“There is an appropriate way to address this, and it’s not amnesty,” Cornyn said on the Senate floor Thursday. “This is really a terrible precedent.”

{mosads}Obama is expected to announce an executive order Thursday evening to issue nearly 5 million work visas to immigrants, many of whom have U.S. children. The administration has said this action is legal and necessary because the House failed to take up a Senate-passed immigration reform bill.

“Where does he get the authority to issue work permits?” Cornyn said. “This really is an end run around the Constitution.”

Cornyn said the executive order would harm the economy and encourage more illegal immigration into the United States.

Earlier Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vowed that the next Senate, which he will lead, will fight Obama’s action.