Gov. Pence Wants Indiana To Join Lawsuit Challenging Executive Order On Immigration

Gov. Mike Pence Wednesday directed Attorney General Greg Zoeller to join a lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive order on immigration, but Zoeller declined to have his office handle it:

President Obama’s executive action, announced last month, could allow millions of illegal immigrants to avoid deportation. Sixteen states have joined a lawsuit challenging the move, and  Pence wants Indiana to become the 17th. 

In a statement, Pence calls the executive order an “unacceptable end run around the democratic process.”  He says the lawsuit isn’t about immigration, but about the rights of states to be represented in policy making decisions through Congress. 

In response, the Attorney General’s office declined to take part in the suit.  Instead, spokesman Bryan Corbin says the AG’s office has given its consent for Pence to hire outside counsel to handle the issue.  Corbin says using outside counsel at the trial court level is appropriate in this case.