Ahead of the court hearing about President Barack Obama's immigration executive actions, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., said not voting on comprehensive immigration reform will be the "biggest and most consequential political mistakes" for the Republican Party.

During a speech at the House of Representatives floor, Gutierrez noted 2016 is an election year when U.S. Latino citizens will not vote for a political party that is trying to deport their neighbors, cousins, spouses and coworkers.

"I have a feeling the citizens will support the candidates and the parties that support their communities, and I also have a feeling that the decision to drag this fight out in the courts will be one the Republican Party regrets from a political point of view," said Gutierrez on Wednesday morning. "Just like the decision not to allow a vote on immigration reform over the past two years will be seen as one of the biggest and most consequential political mistakes of all time."

Gutierrez made his comments while standing next to a large picture of U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen of the Southern District of Texas. On Feb. 16, Hanen ruled in favor of Texas and 25 other U.S. states to temporary block Obama's two deferred action programs -- the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA). Gutierrez reiterated Hanen's reason for the temporary injunction and refusal to grant the government's request to lift the injunction last week.

Texas and 25 U.S. states claimed the implementation of DAPA and DACA's new guidelines would negatively affect their respective economies, and it was an overreach of Obama's executive privileges. Gutierrez, however, referenced the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' recent ruling about Mississippi against the 2012 DACA program.

"[The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals] ruled on a lawsuit related to the State of Mississippi, which, like Texas, felt it might someday in the future be dealt damage by the deferred action program announced by President Obama for DREAMers back in 2012," said Gutierrez. "The panel of judges looked at the program, the evidence, and the cost to the State of Mississippi, and the Fifth Circuit judges said Mississippi is not harmed and thus does not have the legal standing for this lawsuit."

Gutierrez claimed Hanen could be delaying his decision in an attempt for immigrants to "lose hope or stop preparing to sign up" or "maybe magically self-deport and give up on watching their children -- their U.S. citizen children -- grow up."

Gutierrez said the GOP's failure to vote on comprehensive immigration reform would result in no Republican presidents for "a very long time."

Later on Wednesday, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., hosted an information session and rally about Obama's immigration executive actions.

"We are a stronger and more prosperous nation when we tap into the talents and experiences and new perspectives of immigrants from across the world, and I will continue to work with Rep. Gutiérrez to advance comprehensive immigration reform legislation in Congress so that we can fix a system we all agree is broken," said Hoyer in a statement.

Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, an immigrants' rights advocacy organization in Maryland, agreed with that sentiment, adding that Maryland immigrants "make enormous contributions and thanks to President Obama's reforms they will be able to do even more."

"Moving forward the American dialogue on immigration took real leadership from heroes like Congressman Hoyer and Gutiérrez and many of our other friends joining us today," Torres said. "We look forward to together achieving even greater reforms and making sure every American family -- immigrant and non-immigrant alike -- can reach their highest potential."

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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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