Republican Governors follow Arizona's lead and Push Back on Deferred Action and Dreamers

In a memo dated June 15, 2012, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued prosecutorial guidelines for certain unlawfully present aliens. The guidelines, which were to take effect no later than August 15, 2012, outline the secretary's intent to defer deportation actions involving those aliens for a period of at least two years. According to media reports, thousands of aliens in Texas are eligible to apply for relief from deportation under the guidelines. Governor Perry said, "I have previously expressed my position that the secretary was wrong to unilaterally undermine the law through a policy statement issued under the cover of so-called 'prosecutorial discretion.' I believe her actions were a slap in the face to the rule of law and our Constitutional framework of separated powers."

Not to be outdone Nebraska Governor issued this statement: "President Obama's deferred action program to issue employment authorization documents to illegal immigrants does not make them legal citizens," Heineman said in a statement. "The State of Nebraska will continue its practice of not issuing driver's licenses, welfare benefits or other public benefits to illegal immigrants unless specifically authorized by Nebraska statute," he added.