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U.S. Rep. Martha McSally voted Wednesday to defund President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration, but not before opposing an amendment to eliminate funding for "Dreamers" protection.
The amendment and the full bill defunding the executive actions passed the House as part of a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security.
McSally, R-Ariz., was one of 26 Republicans who voted to support Obama's 2012 executive order allowing certain children brought to the U.S. illegally to have their deportations put on hold.
“It’s true that our immigration system is broken, and that the president’s unilateral actions have made it worse," McSally said in a statement. "But it is neither practical nor fair to deport young migrants who freely came forward, giving information such as fingerprints and home addresses to our government, under the auspices that they would be given deferred status.
“Those who came here through no fault of their own, have passed background checks, earned high school degrees, and are pursuing the American dream should not be punished for the president’s irresponsible action,” she said in the statement.
The amendment passed and was included in the final bill, which McSally voted for.
Southern Arizona's other member of Congress, Democratic U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, voted against the amendment and the full bill.
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