Liberal MSNBC host Ed Schultz warns that it will be "an electoral death knell for the Democrats" if President Barack Obama uses his executive authority to give work permits to millions of illegal immigrants.
"Hold the phone — this would be a mistake if the president were to do this," Schultz told his "Ed Show" audience Tuesday.
"Politically, there is no way Democrats can go home and campaign on across-the-board amnesty for millions of undocumented workers . . . it could be an electoral death knell for the Democrats," he said.
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Obama is said to be developing plans to use
executive action to let millions of undocumented immigrants obtain work permits that would allow them stay in the U.S. legally – and White House officials have told allies in Congress to expect an announcement just before the midterm congressional elections.
But two Democrats facing tough re-election battles aren't rallying behind the idea.
"I don't like government by executive order," Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor told
The Hill. "I just don't, generally, so I'd have to look and see specifically what he's proposing and what he's talking about."
North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagen told The Hill she had reservations also.
"I think this is a congressional issue . . . I do support congressional action over executive action," she said.