Announced on Nov. 20, President Barack Obama’s executive actions give temporary legal protection to undocumented parents of U.S. citizens, and they will have far-reaching consequences for about four million undocumented immigrants. While the scale of Obama’s efforts is sweeping, the president undoubtedly acted within the bounds of the Constitution.

Today, there are about 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. Obviously, it is unreasonable to expect Obama’s administration to deport all of them, and it would be extremely expensive and difficult to do so. With his executive actions, Obama has merely set priorities on which immigrants to deport; he is still enforcing the law and is fulfilling his constitutional duty. Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution requires the president to  “take care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” Obama has not legislated from the White House or failed to enforce immigration laws effectively; he has only adjusted his enforcement of immigration laws passed by Congress.

Furthermore, there is a great deal of historical precedent for executive actions on immigration. According to the Pew Research Center, almost every president since John F. Kennedy has used the power of the office to take action on immigration. This even includes Ronald Reagan, a figure revered by the same Republicans who have been outraged by Obama’s efforts. After signing a 1986 bill that granted undocumented immigrants legal status, Reagan expanded protection to children of those already covered by the law through an executive action. Other presidents that have protected immigrants from deportation include Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. In addition, while some have accused Obama of executive overreach due to the number of people affected, the percentage of undocumented immigrants covered by his actions is similar to previous efforts. Obama’s actions affect about 45 percent of immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally, only five percent more than Bush’s in 1990.

Obama’s decision is both constitutional and legal. Although the results of his executive actions affect far more undocumented immigrants than his predecessors’, Obama is consistent with historical precedent. Claims that Obama has exceeded his executive authority are not true – his actions are completely constitutional.