Gohmert says Obama breached oath of office with selective deportation policy

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said this week that President Obama breached his oath of office by announcing an immigration policy under which the Department of Homeland Security can prioritize pending deportation cases.

Republicans have argued that this policy change, announced Aug. 18, allows the administration to selectively enforce immigration laws.

"Well, it does represent a breach of the oath," Gohmert said on Secure Freedom Radio's Frank Gaffney Show on Tuesday.

"This is a president who has done more to undo the very foundation of the country: the rule of law, that no matter who you are, President, member of Congress, whoever it doesn't matter, the law is to be equally applied across the board," he said. "And there've been exceptions where people have gotten away with stuff but never to the extent that this guy has pushed, and like you said, he's shown contempt for the lawmaking process."

Gohmert added that Obama is making the U.S. like a "Third World, corrupt country where the rule of law is tossed aside."

The administration has said its immigration policy change is aimed at allowing officials to focus on deporting illegal residents that have been convicted of crimes in the U.S., rather than on "low priorities" such as children. The administration said Aug. 18 that there are 10 million people in the U.S. illegally, and argued that "it's clear that we can't deport such a large number."

Michael Keegan, president of People for the American Way, responded to Gohmert's comments by saying he and other Republicans are going too far in their criticism of Obama.

"What's troubling is that Gohmert's accusation fits into a larger pattern of Tea Party politicians not just disagreeing with their political opponents, but accusing them of being un-American," he said. "When Rick Perry accuses Ben Bernanke of treason or Gohmert says the president has broken his oath of office, the political conversation in this country deteriorates."

The People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch put up a clip of Gohmert's remarks on immigration.

The Texas lawmaker also criticized the Obama administration's actions in Libya, and said there are too many unknowns about the Libyan rebels the U.S. is aiding.

"We don't know who we're helping, we don't know what we're helping them to do, and we don't know how much trouble we're going to be in after we finish helping them," he said.

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