Judicial Watch Sues Obama Admin For Amnesty Documents

by Tony Lee 

Judicial Watch today sued the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for documents related to President Barack Obama’s “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” executive order that allows young illegal immigrants who meet certain qualifications to get a two-year work permit and temporary amnesty. 

Judicial Watch says it is seeking the following records in its June 22, 2012, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request:

All records concerning…the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to exercise prosecutorial discretion with respect to individuals who came to the United States as children…Such records include, but are not limited to, opinions, memoranda, or legal advice rendered by the Office of Legal Counsel.

The Department of Justice had until July 24, 2012 to comply with the FOIA request, but has failed to do so to date.  On June 22, 2012, Judicial Watch submitted a similar FOIA request to the Department of Homeland Security. DHS was required to by law to respond to Judicial Watch by August 10, 2010. DHS, to date, has not responded. 

“This new Obama amnesty program is an attack on the constitutional role of Congress and runs rough shod over existing immigration law.  It is no surprise that the Obama administration doesn’t want to share the legal basis for this unilateral executive action and is violating Freedom of Information Act law to keep the American people in the dark,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in a statement.  “President Obama and his political appointees are abusing their offices with this new amnesty program.  If the administration were confident about the legality of its actions, it wouldn’t be keeping secret the legal basis for President Obama’s extraordinary decision to unilaterally change the law.”