>> good evening. i am mark halperin. welcome to a speech by president obama, addressing the nation on some major controversial and unilateral actions he expects to take in the coming days. after a long delay, the president plans by executive action to allow 5 million people now in the country to obtain status and hold jobs. the president will talk about increases in border security and other policy changes, but it is that decision he is takening on

his own that has republicans in alarm. my question to you is, given how republicans are threatening to retaliate does the president take the risks that the balance of his presidency is consumed by more partisanship? >> not really. it was going to be partisanship anyway. it will not have much effect. that will be determined by self-interest. whether each side is willing to give the other they don't want to give in return for something they really want. being nice does not get you far in washington. i think there will be a lot of fury over this. i don't think it will affect what is actually achieved are not achieved over the next 12 months. >> there you see the shot of the east room. you have covered washington for a pheromone of time. do you remember any face-off quiet like this? here is the president. let's listen to the president.

>> for more than 200 years, our tradition of welcoming immigrants from around the world has given us a tremendous vantage over other nations. it has kept us useful -- you full, dynamic, and entrepreneurial. it has shaped our character as a people with limitless possibilities. people not trapped by our past, but able to remake ourselves as we choose. today, our immigration system is broken. everybody knows that. families who enter our country the right way and play by the rules while others flout the rules. business owners who offer the workers good wages and benefits see the competition exploit undocumented immigrants by paying the far less. all of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in america without taking on the responsibilities of living in america. an undocumented immigrant they desperately want to embrace

those responsibilities, but they have little option but to remain in the schama's -- in the shadows. it has been his way for decades. for decades, we have not done much about it. when i took office i committed to fixing this broken immigration system. i began by doing what i could to secure our borders. today, we have more agents and technology deployed to secure our southern border than at any time in our history. over the past six years, illegal border crossings have been cut by more than half. this summer there was a brief spike in under company children being apprehended at a quarter the number of such children is now actually lower than it has been in nearly two years. overall the number of people trying to cross our border in legally is at its lowest level since the 1970's. those of the facts. meanwhile, i worked with congress on a comprehensive fix. last year, 60 a democrats,

republicans, and independence came together to pass a bipartisan bill in the senate. it was not perfect. it was a compromise. it reflected common sense. it would have doubled the number of border patrol agents, while giving undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship if they paid a fine started paying their taxes, and went to the back of the line. independent experts said that it would help grow our economy and trigger deficits. had the house of representatives allow that kind of bill a simple yes or no vote, it would have passed with support from both parties. today it would be the law. for one and a half years republican leaders in the house have refused to allow that simple boat. -- simple vote. the best way to solve this problem is by working together to pass that kind of common sense law. until that happens, there are actions that i have the legal authority to take as president,

the same kind of actions taken by date -- democratic and republican presidents before me, that will help make our immigration system more fair and more just to tonight, i am announcing those actions. first, we will build on our progress at the border with additional resources for our law enforcement personnel. so that they can stem the flow of ely go crossings and speed the return of those who do crossover. second, i will make it easier and faster for high skilled immigrants graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy as so many business leaders have proposed. third we will take steps to deal responsibly with the millions of undocumented immigrants who already live in our country. i want to say more about this third issue because it generates the most passion and controversy. even as we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. undocumented workers broke our

immigration laws. i believe that they must be held accountable especially those who may be dangerous. that is why over the past six years deportations of criminals are up 80%. that is why we will keep focusing on enforcement resources and actual threats to our security. felons, not families criminals, not children, gang members, not a mom who is working hard to provide for her kids. they are prioritize, just like law enforcement does every day. even as we focus on deporting criminals, the fact is that millions of immigrants in every state of every race and nationality still live here illegally. let's be honest, tracking down rounding up, and importing millions of people is not realistic. anyone who's a just otherwise is not being straight with you.

it is also not who we are as americans. most of these immigrants have been here a long time. they were card. often in tough low-paying jobs. they support their families. they worship at our churches. many of their kids are american born, or spent most of their lives here. there hopes dreams, and patriotism are just like ours. as my predecessor, president bush, once put it they are part of american life. now, here's the thing. we expect people who live in this country to play by the rules. we expect those who cut the line will not be unfairly rewarded. we are going to offer the following deal. if you have been in america for more than five years if you have children who are american citizens or legal residents, if you register, pass a criminal back on track and you are willing to pay your fair share of taxes you will be able to

apply to stay in this country are rarely without fear of deportation. if you come out of the shadows and get right with the law -- that is what this deal is. let's be clear about what it isn't. it does not apply to anyone who has come to this country recently. it does not apply to anyone who might come to america illegally in the future. it does not grant citizenship or the right to stay here permanently or offer the same benefits that citizens received. only commerce can do that. all we are saying is that we are not going to deport you. -- only congress can do that. i know some critics call it amnesty it is not. it is the immigration system we have today amnesty, millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, and politicians use the issue in scare people to whip up votes it election time. that is the real amnesty.

leaving the broken system the way it is. mass amnesty would be unfair. mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character. what i am describing is account ability a common sense middleground approach. if you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. if you are a criminal, you will be deported. if you plan to enter the united states illegally your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up. the actions i am taking are not only lawful, they are the kinds of actions taken by every single republican president and every single democratic resident -- president for the half century. to those numbers of congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work at her or question the wisdom of me acting work commerce this has failed, i have one answer. pass the bill. i want to work with both parties to pass a more permanent legislative solution.

the day i signed a bill into law the actions i take will no longer be necessary. meanwhile, don't let a disagreement over a single issue be a dealbreaker on every issue. that is not how our democracy works. and congress certainly should not shut down our government again just because we disagree on this. americans are tired of gridlock. when our country -- what our country needs is a higher purpose. a common purpose. most americans support the types of reforms i talked about tonight. i understand the disagreements held by many of you would home. millions of us, myself included, go back generations in this country. we have ancestors who put in the painstaking work to become citizens. we don't like the notion that anyone might get a free pass to american citizenship. i know some worry that immigration will change the very fabric of who we are, or take our jobs or stick it to

middle-class families at a time when they already feel like they have gotten a raw deal for over a decade. i share those concerns. that is not what these steps would do. i'll history and the facts show immigrants are net plus for our economy and society. i believe it is important that all of us have this debate without impugning each other's character. for all the back-and-forth washington we have to remember that this debate is about something bigger. it is about who we are as a country, and who we want to be for future generations. are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? or are we a nation to give them a chance to make amends, take responsibility, and give their kids a better future? are we a nation that accepts the

cruelty of ripping children from their parents arms or are we in nation that values families? works together to keep them together? are we a nation that educates the world's best and brightest in our universities only to send him home to create businesses in countries that compete against us or are we a nation that encourages them to stay and work jobs here, create businesses create industries right here in america? that is what this debate is all about. we need more than politics as usual when it comes to immigration. we need reasoned, thoughtful, compassionate the bait that focuses on our hopes dashed compassionate debate that focuses on our hopes him and not fears. i know that the politics of this issue are not easy. let me tell you why i have come to feel so strongly about it. over the past years, i have seen

the determination of immigrant fathers who worked two or three jobs, without taking a dime from the government, and at-risk to lose it all, just to build a better life for their kids. i have seen the heartbreak and an anxiety of children whose mothers might be taken away from them just because they did not have the right papers. i have seen the courage of students who except for the circumstances of their birth are as american as melia or sasha. students who bravely come out as undocumented in the hopes that it could make a difference in the country they love. these people, our neighbors, our classmates, our friends they did not come here in search of a free life or an easy life. they came to work. they came to study. they came to serve in her military. above all, they came to contribute to america's success. tomorrow i will travel to las vegas to meet with some of the

students, including a young woman. she was brought to america when she was for your zone. her only possessions were a cross, her doll, and i fully -- the dress she had on. when she started school, she did not speak any english straight she caught up by reading newspapers and watching pbs. she became a good student. her father worked in landscaping. her mom cleaned other people's homes. they would not let her apply to a technology magnet school -- not because they did not love her -- but because they were afraid that the paperwork without her as an undocumented immigrant. she applied behind their back and got in. she mostly lived in the shadows. until her grandmother, who visited every year from sq -- mexico passed away, and she could not travel to the funeral

without risking being found out and reported. it was around that time that she decided to be gained -- begin advocating for herself and others like her. today, she is a college student working on her third degree. are we a nation that kicks out a striving hopeful immigrant like her? or are we a nation that finds a way to welcome her in? scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger for we know in the heart of a stranger we were strangers once to. my fellow americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. we were strangers once. and whether our four verse were strangers across the atlantic pacific, or rio grande we are here only because this country welcomed them in and taught them

that to be an american is about something more in what we look like, what our last names are, or how we worship. what makes us americans is our shared commitment to an ideal that all of us are created equal , and all of us have the chance to make of our lives what we will. that is the country our parents and grandparents and generations before them built for us. that is the tradition that we must uphold. that is the legacy we must leave for those who are yet to come. thank you. god bless you. god bless this country. >> president obama from the eastern rim announcing one of the most dramatic moves he has made as president outside of foreign-policy and national security and a speech with what there were a lot of applause

lines. there was not an audience there. there are lot of lines it will be repeated as he takes his on the word -- road. i know, as we talked about, you think the president has a strong political hand here. best case, and you see a way in the coming weeks or months when he gets what he wants, which is a decent legislation out of congress. if so, how would that go? >> no, i don't pay that is highly unlikely. he could not pass the last congress. i thought the president hit most of the right notes tonight. he talked about reporting felons, not families. he quoted george w. bush, which i thought was very smart. the story of the young girl. most of the legal opinion is with the president on this. i think many americans will be bothered by the fact that it was done by executive action. as you suggested a moment ago, i think we totally agree on this. republicans are the one that are on the defensive now. the real action to this.

what should be our reaction? it splits them into about five different camps. they are angry in part because they know they are on the defensive. >> what do you think the executive branch does now? a lot of people -- some democratic governors -- they say you can offer 5 million people this, but what are the realistic prospects that people take advantage of it, given that they are not becoming citizens, that they are taking a risking out of the shadows, his -- because this thing could be overturned? >> congress could overturn it tomorrow or next year. they elect a republican president. they could overturn it. i don't think it will happen the once this is set in motion, it will be hard to overturn. that is what angers some of the equity's and opponents here. five main people are not going to come out of the shadows. a lot may. we can look at what happened to

the dreamers two years ago. you will see -- first of all, no one will be affected by this or be able to come out of the shadow for about six months. it would take that long for it all to be processed. i think there is great jubilation among immigration activists here. i assume they have a good sense of their constituency. >> republicans are split. we will talk more about that. they are getting reaction. john boehner recorded a video, talking about what he expected the president to say. let's listen to him. >> instead of working together to fix our broken immigration system, the president says he whacked on his own. that is not how our democracy works. the president said before that he is not an emperor. he is sure acting like one. he is doing it at a time when the american people want nothing more than for us to work together. >> i will ask you for informed

speculation. what do you think john boehner and mitch mcconnell's strategy will be? >> to fend off the crazies. to fend off those people who want to shut down the government and talk about impeachment. i think the main recourse they will have is a lawsuit, which will not go anywhere. it will not succeed. it will take a long time. at least it sends a signal that we are really going to go after this and then move on to other issues. i think the president did exaggerate a bit when he said that this is the kind of action other presidents have taken on immigration. this is more sweeping than other presidents. executive actions are not rare. some are quiet popular. some not so popular. george w. bush on the antiterrorist policies. but you can ask a lot of lawyers for their opinion. for some there is clearly a distinction between the president saying that he is not going to do for people.

he is going to prioritize. then the notion of giving them that is different than other presidents have done. let's bring in margaret. she is our white house correspondent. we will talk about that. as you have dealt with white house people today do they fill in bold and? are they nervous? how do they feel? >> they do fill and bolden. they do feel emboldened. the calculation was that not only is this not going to fundamentally make a dynamic that much worse, but they are betting on the 20 16th occupations by republican presidential hopefuls, largely pulling them through. >> action get legislation through congress? >> no. >> it gets overturned. you have got people like ted

cruz, steve king that typical strident voices asking for extreme things. impeachment. shutting down the government. ted cruz saying no nominations. does the white house think that works to their advantage and they are happy to see that happen? >> divide and conquer among the republicans is potentially the best thing the white house can hope for. in terms of trying to guarantee a democratic white house and a couple of years. that is what they are looking towards, not just immigration legacy but on these other legacies on health care, climate change. they are doubling down and rolling it up into one. >> there are some things that the president would like to get done in the next few months, and the republicans and democrats, spending measures, keep the government the second week of december. is it your sense that this poisons the well immediately and the president -- he said let's

not let this just be you affect other things -- does the white house of some danger that the lame-duck become something that collapses? >> there is no good faith anymore. that is completely out the window. many of these issues are fundamentally important to republicans as well as democrats in the lame-duck section. the president is calculated bet they will make a decision pragmatically with mitch mcconnell heading into the leadership role. >> let's go back to capitol hill. peter cook is up there. he has been sampling the reaction from various people, including prominent republicans. i'm sure none of it is hugely surprising. what if you found? >> none of it is surprising. as you said, we are hearing from mitch mcconnell already. via twitter he says the new soon-to-be majority leader -- president obama imposes his will

on the contrary, congress will act. rand paul, a potential presidential candidate -- i will not let the president bypass the congress and our constitution. perhaps the comment i heard today as i sampled lawmakers earlier that struck me the most came from susan collins supporter of the immigration bill. she told me in an interview that the president's action sets back immigration because it infuriates people like me who supported the bill. it is an egregious overreach of his authority. we don't see susan collins infuriated often. she is infuriated by this. she and a lot of other republicans think that they have misjudged the american public's mood. >> you talked about to an interesting group that i have been curious about the last week, which is senate republicans who did vote for the immigration bill.

what is the consensus among that group of about what the best path forward is now, since the president has taken the action they warned him not to take? >> almost unanimity in that marco rubio lindsey graham, the house passed a move first. the house has to pass something, maybe just border security. these meal approaches, small bills him and they will move over to the senate and show progress. they hope to move towards a larger these of legislation ultimately. this falls in the house's court. they are trying to put pressure on john boehner to do something in the short term. >> the president talk about border security, documentation from the lighthouse, led with the fact that he's going to increase it. the president was pretty clear. he wanted to get for the port that it is factually african -- accurate. the border is more secure now than it has been good to you think as a chance to win that

argument because a lot of americans i think on this issue believe that the republican rhetoric that the president has not been tough? >> the question was where was he a year ago, six months ago? he made an absolutely accurate and compelling case. tonight, he has not made the case. there are about 1/5 as many people coming across the border as 10 years ago. he did a good job tonight, but he has to continue to do that good job. i love the fact that the senate republicans are saying that the house has got to act first. they know what that means. susan collins may be infuriated but she is not going to be able to do much about it. i think she is in. because i cannot do anything about it. >> i want to ask you again the question i asked you before. the president's not in a little faster. had you seen anything like this? can you think of a parallel where the president takes his kind of question -- action gets the kind of response from the other party? >> not write like this. i have lived through two

impeachments, the vietnam war, even some of the latter stage civil rights struggle. they were far more intense than this is. i don't think this is something we will see is a seminal event in american history. it will last for a while. when we get to corporate tax reform trade, other issues, people will not be talking a great deal about what happened on november 20. >> you think the president does is trip tomorrow signs these orders whatever they are, takes the trip, republicans are divided, and this is not the dominating issue? >> i think smart republicans hope that will happen, at least in march and april but if the ted cruz is, if they can force us to bake, if they can do what they did to mitt romney in 2007, which is basically turn from an immigration reform advocate to an opponent, if they can do that, that will play into the

hands of democrats. i think a lot of smart republicans will be trying to figure out ways to resist that. that will be a wonderful tension for us to watch in the next couple of months. >> ok. thank you. peter cook. on capitol hill. thank you. our white house correspondent. thank you. thank you for watching. there is more on this debate, which will certainly continue at least until tomorrow on bloomberg politics.com and were coverage of the story all the way intel tomorrow. the president announcing what has long been expected, i'd us of frustration, there has not been congressional action on the issue important and him. the president is now going to take these unilateral steps, and the republican party is a lot of choices how to respond. the human element, there were protests in the celebrant outside the white house tonight. a lot of americans are emotional and enthusiastic about this. it does remain to be seen how many people take advantage of this and what the impact of that is. these people are not cutting health care. they're not going to get drivers

license. this is not going to be as clean as neat as the president would like. he did take one of one the most decisive actions. a very big moment in the debate over immigration, one of the

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