The MSNBC host passionately came to the defense of American workers and urged the White House not to use executive actions to grant legal status and work authorization to millions of immigrants in the country illegally. He warned that it would be an “electoral death nail” for Democrats in the upcoming midterms.
“Hold the phone — this would be a mistake if the president were to do this,” he said on Tuesday. “Politically, there is no way Democrats can go home and campaign on across-the-board amnesty for millions of undocumented workers — I don’t think that’s a political winner for the Democrats.”
A few thoughts in no particular order:
Schultz backing away may be a sign that some on the left realize how politically problematic unilateral action on immigration by President Obama may be.
Some "progressives" may be awakening to the serious Constitutional implications of the president going rogue on immigration law. As Schultz said, "I don’t think one man should have that much power."
Schultz also suggested that a mass legalization via executive order could undermine the economic position of the American worker (both native-born and legal immigrants). Perhaps others on the left will also address the economic consequences of bad-faith open borders.
For those who are sympathetic to immigration reform, unilateral actions by the president may make legislative reform much less likely to happen.
