Responding to claims made by attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch in her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Thursday that illegal aliens do not have a right to work in the U.S., and that printing work authorizations for them effectively equates "counterfeiting immigration papers," reported CNSNews.
"Let me ask you this," Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., asked Lynch Wednesday during her confirmation hearing. "In the work place of America today, when we have a high number of unemployed, we've had declining wages for many years, the lowest percentage of Americans working - who has more right to a job in this country: a lawful immigrant, green card holder, a citizen, or a person who entered the country unlawfully?"
Lynch responded, "Senator, I believe the right and the obligation to work is one that is shared by everyone in this country, regardless of how they came here."
"Certainly if someone is here regardless of status, I would prefer they be participating in the work place rather than not," Lynch said.
CNSNews asked Cruz for his thoughts on the matter - whether he believes "illegal aliens should have a right to work in the United States," as Lynch told Sessions.
"Federal law is unequivocal," Cruz told CNSNews. "Those who are present in this country illegally are barred from working."
"The Obama administration is printing up work authorizations directly contrary to federal law. In effect, they are counterfeiting immigration papers, because the plain text of federal law makes it illegal for those who have entered this country illegally to obtain employment."
Also on Thursday, President Barack Obama told fellow Democrats again that he would "happily" veto any legislation aimed at undoing his immigration reform.
"If rather than try to solve the broken immigration system they compound the problem, I'll veto it," the president said during a Democratic House lawmaker retreat, where he also promised to veto any bills aiming to repeal Obamacare or loosen Wall Street regulations, reported Politico.
