Secretary Johnson defends Obama immigration move, vows Arizona visit ‘next year’

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he will return to southern Arizona early next year to meet with residents and talk about steps his agency is taking to secure the border and further reduce illegal immigration. “I plan to – if you’ll have me – come early next year to Arizona,” Johnson said Tuesday in response to a question from Rep. Ron Barber, D-Tucson. “I owe the ranchers another visit.” It was an agreeable moment in an occasionally contentious hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee, where Johnson was called on to defend President Barack Obama’s recent executive action on immigration. Committee Republicans peppered Johnson with questions about the legality of Obama’s Nov. 20 actions, which Texas Rep. Mike McCaul, the committee chairman, described as “unilateral actions to bypass Congress, undermine the Constitution and threaten our democracy.” Johnson agreed with lawmakers that executive action is “no substitute” for comprehensive immigration reform legislation that he hopes Congress will pass. But he said the president acted “within his legal authority” with his actions – many of which came from Johnson...more