In President Obama's Address to the Nation on Immigration, the reasons he offers for taking action without the approval of Congress include:
- Congress has refused to pass a bill that would change the immigration system.
- Other Republican and Democratic presidents have taken similar action in the past half century.
- Immigrants contribute to the growth of the American economy and to American society as a whole.
The option regarding the Senate insisting that Obama pass a bipartisan immigration bill as a compromise is not a reason he provided for taking unilateral action.