WaPo Factchecker Glenn Kessler Gets Schooled on Trump Immigration Plans

On Tuesday evening, President Trump announced that he’ll soon sign a “very powerful immigration act” which will change the immigration system, prioritizing merit-based applications.

But Glenn Kessler, the Washington Post’s fact-checker, was stumped by Trump’s remark, “How can Trump sign a ‘very strong immigration act’ if it’s not been passed by Congress?” he asked on Twitter.

How can Trump sign a "very strong immigration act" if it's not been passed by Congress?

— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) July 14, 2020

Kessler was quickly schooled on Twitter.

he needs to get it approved by congress like DACA

— Count Mo (@DrMosesAB) July 14, 2020

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/GcriCi6hzR

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 14, 2020

DACA was not signed into law. It was put into place by executive orders.

— Christopher (@Chris23703) July 14, 2020

Hey Glenn,

Curious what coma you were in 2008-2016…

— Jack Battier (@OneEyeBlackJack) July 14, 2020

You care about the checks and balances now? This is new.

— Mara (@alerriebucky) July 14, 2020

When was DACA approved by Congress?

— e-beth (@ebeth360) July 14, 2020

Kind of like the DACA program that Obama signed an executive order on without having it passed by Congress?

I don't remember you questioning that one…

— Hudson Hayes (@HuddyHayes) July 14, 2020

How did the previous administration do it???

— cof53a (@cof53a) July 14, 2020

Remember when congress approved Obama’s DACA?

Me neither.

— Kambree (@KamVTV) July 14, 2020

Even Don Trump Jr. chimed in:

See DACA, you know the thing that Obama did without Congress.

I’m shocked that a Washington Post fact checker would not know this… just kidding, no one is shocked, you guys didn’t cover Obama. https://t.co/9a8vwqHJcS

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 14, 2020

It’s hard to believe that the “fact-checker” would forget Barack Obama literally took a program that failed to pass Congress and implemented it, unconstitutionally via executive order.

President Trump even referred to the fact that he has the power to take executive action because last months Supreme Court ruling gave him opportunity to attempt another reversal of DACA. Maybe Kessler should have taken that as a clue as to what Trump was referring to.