Zoe Lofgren: “This is a political act because this action only comes with President Obama. We never did this with Republican…”

“This is a political act because this action only comes with President Obama. We never did this with Republican Presidents. Let me give you an example. After Tiananmen Square, the House of Representatives passed a bill to preclude the deportation of Chinese students. President Bush vetoed that bill. Do you know what he did then? He deferred the deportation of the Chinese students because he had the executive authority. In 1999, a letter was sent to Janet Reno. It was signed by Henry Hyde, Lamar Smith, Sam Johnson, and many others asking her to use her prosecutorial discretion and citing the fact that the prosecutorial discretion is clear in removal proceedings. Mr. Speaker, I will include that letter in the Record. I was shocked to hear Mr. Sessions say that the Court had solicited a brief--maybe I misunderstood him--had asked the House for a brief. If that is the case, I would respectfully request to see a copy of the document soliciting a brief from the House of Representatives. That is a procedure that would be an extraordinary one, and it is certainly news to me. Finally, I would like to add that the fact that Mr. Goodlatte doesn't agree with the President has nothing to do with the fact that the procedures were not followed in this case. The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group is the process established in the House to be used when the House takes a step in Court to defend its prerogatives, which is what the majority is suggesting is at play in this case.…”