JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – House Assistant Majority Leader Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, and Rep. Lindell Shumake, R-Hannibal, are leading the call to Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to join with more than 20 states around the nation that have come together to oppose President Obama’s decision to suspend the nation’s immigration laws.
Cierpiot has filed HCR 12, which urges Koster to support an amicus brief supported by U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, and join a lawsuit filed by attorneys general and governors from 25 states. Shumake recently submitted a letter calling on Attorney General Chris Koster to join the states that have filed the lawsuit in opposition to President Obama’s decision to suspend the nation’s immigration laws.
“It’s imperative that our president respect the rule of law, the limits on his own presidential power, and the checks and balances our Constitution puts in place to prevent one branch of government from trumping the rest,” said Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit. “Our system of government does not empower the president to unilaterally change the law. It is time for our attorney general to take a stand against this unlawful overreach of executive power and defend the rights of the American people and legal immigrants.”
Shumake was joined by nine of his House colleagues in signing the letter that urges Koster to join the lawsuit and “protect the interests of the people of the Great State of Missouri.”
“I believe that this proposed decree is a violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal law,” wrote Shumake, R-Hannibal, in his letter to Koster. “It also is opposed to the will of the American people and is potentially unfair to those immigrants that play by the rules and are willing to comply with our laws.”
“America is a nation that welcomes immigrants from around the world, but America is disrespected when our laws are violated,” wrote Shumake. “Many Constitutional scholars concur that amnesty is executive overreach and violates the separation of powers.”
The lawsuit filed and joined by a coalition of 25 states alleges that the president violated his obligations under the Constitution’s Take Care Clause, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act and federal immigration statutes. The lawsuit claims changes to these laws should be made by Congress, not the President.
Cierpiot added, “Thankfully we have seen strong leadership from Senator Blunt as he has joined with a large and growing number of his colleagues who understand the importance of keeping the president from trampling on our constitution with another executive power grab. We need this same kind of leadership on the state level from Attorney General Koster, who should already be fighting to reign in this out-of-control executive branch that continues to disregard the rights of the people and the checks and balances inherent in our system of government.”
The 25 states are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
In December, Blunt voted in favor of a constitutional point of order offered by Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas, and U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, Utah, against the president’s executive amnesty.
“I agree with the president’s previous 22 comments that he didn’t have the authority to take this action on immigration. I voted with Senator Cruz this weekend to show my disapproval for the president’s executive amnesty, and I am proud to co-sign this amicus brief with Senators Cruz and Cornyn against President Obama’s lawless immigration power grab,” said Blunt.
“As Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate next year, I will continue to fight against this administration’s blatant disregard for the law and the Constitution,” Blunt continued.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
