Wisconsin Joins Lawsuit Challenging Obama’s Immigration Actions

Wisconsin has joined 16 other states in a lawsuit that seeks to halt President Barack Obama’s executive order on immigration.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen joined the lawsuit at the request of Gov. Scott Walker. The state of Texas is taking the lead on the case.

Walker told reporters in Milwaukee that the lawsuit was not about immigration, but about stopping what he viewed as an abuse of power by the president.

“It’s just very clear that he has gone beyond the rule of law in this case, and that for all of us who believe that there’s appropriate separation of powers, including many of us who are governors and believe in strong executive action, that this has gone too far,” said Walker.

The suit contends that when the president shielded millions of immigrants from deportation, he violated the U.S. Constitution by rewriting laws passed by Congress under the guise of executive discretion.

The lawsuit comes as Walker is reportedly in the early stages of a 2016 presidential campaign. Walker first voiced support for a lawsuit like this a couple weeks ago while on a panel with other presidential hopefuls at the Republican Governors Association.