With the 114th Congress sworn into its new session, Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced plans to counter President Barack Obama's immigration executive actions.

During a press conference, Boehner announced that the House will act on "stopping" Obama's Nov. 20 executive actions. While Boehner has had a Republican majority in the House for several years, he is more intent on countering Obama's immigration agenda with the new Republican-controlled Senate.

"The House will soon take action aimed at stopping the president's unilateral action when it comes to immigration. Republicans are in agreement that this is a gravely serious matter," said Boehner on Thursday.

"The President's unilateral actions were an affront to the rule of law and our system of government. The American people don't support it, and as their representatives, cannot let it stand. I said we'd fight it tooth and nail when we had new majorities in the House and Senate, and I meant it," Boehner added.

Republicans in the House are also set to introduce legislation that would ban federal agencies to implement Obama's immigration executive actions. If the legislation is approved and passes the Senate -- and if for some reason Obama signed the bill, then the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop issuing new work permits to eligible undocumented immigrants and stop the flow of funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS's current funding is set to expire on Feb. 27.

Boehner, however, dismissed claims about any potential risks with the DHS.

"I don't believe that the funding of the department is, in fact, at risk," Boehner said. "What is at risk is the rule of law and the sanctity of America's Constitution."

Fellow Republican lawmakers, however, voiced concern about lack of funds for the DHS.

"Whatever we do on that, as far as immigration, cannot in any way be allowed to interfere with our counterterrorism methods," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, on Fox News on Wednesday. "I mean, the juxtaposition would be terrible: a terrorist slaughter in Paris, and the U.S. cuts back on Homeland Security funding."

Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., introduced legislation to stop Obama's executive action. In a statement, Aderholt said the legislation "not only defunds the President's actions towards amnesty but also removes the President's discretion in the ability to grant work permits, Social Security, and other federal benefits that go along with his order. My legislation will also put limits on the President's future ability to enact such wide-reaching actions that circumvent the Constitution's separation of powers. It returns the legislative authority of our government back to the legislative branch."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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