Members of the Republican Party criticized President Barrack Obama for his new policies regarding immigration and accused him of undermining the authority of the government, CNN reported.
The ire of the Republicans stems from Obama's recent announcement regarding new laws for illegal immigrants. The reforms laid out by the president involve suspending deportation procedures for around 5 million undocumented immigrants residing in the country.
Leaders of the Grand Old Party stated that Obama's reforms circumvent the authority of Congress regarding the matter.
"By ignoring the will of the American people, President Obama has cemented his legacy of lawlessness and squandered what little credibility he had left," House Speaker John Boehner commented.
"His 'my way or the highway' approach makes it harder to build the trust with the American people that is necessary to get things done on behalf of the country," he added. "Republicans are left with the serious responsibility of upholding our oath of office."
Following Obama's announcement, Boehner filed a lawsuit against the president regarding the Affordable Care Act, according to The Atlantic.
Like the issue with the immigration reforms, the house speaker said Obama ignored the decision-making powers of the Congress when he passed the healthcare law.
For the Republican Party, the lawsuit also serves as a reminder that they can sue the president over his new immigration laws.
"Time after time, the president has chosen to ignore the will of the American people and re-write federal law on his own without a vote in Congress," Boehner said.
"That's not the way our system of government was designed to work," he added. "If this president can get away with making his own laws, future presidents will have the ability to as well."
Other members of the party also expressed their disapproval regarding Obama's immigration laws.
Texas Governer Rick Perry warned that the reforms could open the doors for more illegal immigrants to flock to the country. He then stressed that the government should focus on strengthening border patrols.
"The president's decision tonight will lead to more illegal immigration, not less," he said. "It is time for the president and the Congress to secure our border, followed by meaningful reforms. There is no more time for political grandstanding."
Texas Senator Ted Cruz noted through a Facebook post that Obama's immigration policy is unfair to those who went through legal procedures before entering the U.S.
"His actions are not only unconstitutional and in defiance of the American people who said they did not want amnesty in the 2014 elections, but they are also unfair to every immigrant who has come to our nation legally," he posted.
