M.Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Rep. Steve King decries 'deportable' in Michelle Obama's balcony

Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) railed against President Obama via Twitter only hours before this Tuesday’s State of the Union speech, referring to an undocumented immigrant scheduled to sit with the first lady during the speech as “a deportable.”

“#Obama perverts ‘prosecutorial discretion’ by inviting a deportable to sit in place of honor at #SOTU w/1st Lady,” King wrote. “I should sit with Alito.”


King’s Tweet likely refers to Ana Zamora, a 20-year-old student from Dallas who was invited to sit with Michelle Obama during the speech. President Obama’s 2012 executive action granted Zamora and thousands of other so-called “dreamers” legal status, including the possibility of obtaining work permits and drivers’ licenses.

The president’s November 2014 executive action further granted legal status to Zamora’s undocumented parents — a construction worker and a small business owner. In response, Zamora wrote a thank you letter to the White House that led to her being selected for the coveted seat beside the first lady.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will also be attending the State of the Union on Tuesday. After Obama’s 2010 speech, Alito came under criticism for mouthing the words “not true” as the President decried the Citizens United decision, claiming it “reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests.” Alito sided with the majority in the case.

King has been a vocal opponent of President Obama’s November executive action on immigration, urging fellow Republicans to threaten a government shutdown over the issue. “We have to fight,” King told POLITICO. “We have to fight now or we’re going to have to fight later.”

After facing criticism, King tried to make a joke out of his “deportable” comment.

“The futility of language emerges on Twitter,” King said. Then he tried to channel Taylor Swift, telling reporters to “Shake it off.”

When pressed further, King blamed Obama and said it would have no impact on the upcoming “Iowa Freedom Summit” event he’s holding on Jan. 24 for GOP 2016 presidential hopefuls.

“Why isn’t the president taking heat for what he’s doing to the rule of law?” asked an unrepentant King. “He’s going to make another promise that he’s going to violate the Constitution tonight. At least one.”