Sessions: TPP Opens Immigration Floodgates, OK's Future Obama Changes

President Obama's bid for fast track trade authority along with a huge Asian trade deal fell into further trouble Sunday night when a key Republican senator charged that the deals open the door to more immigration and let the administration make future changes without congressional approval.

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions delivered the bruising blow when he raised five questions about the Trade Promotion Authority speeding through Congress and the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal that TPA would help push.

"The president has circumvented Congress on immigration with serial regularity. But the TPA would yield new power to the executive to alter admissions while subtracting congressional checks against those actions," said a "critical alert" dispatched by the senator's office. It was provided in advance to Secrets.

Despite promises by the administration and two House committee chairmen pushing TPA and TPP that immigration would not be changed, Sessions and several outside groups said Obama could change immigration policies between trading partners at will without any congressional oversight.

"The plain language of TPA provides avenues for the administration and its trading partners to facilitate the expanded movement of foreign workers into the U.S. -- including visitor visas that are used as worker visas," said the Sessions alert.

The bases of that charge is a phrase in TPP calling it a "living agreement." Sessions and others contacted by Secrets said that means that they can be changed after Congress approves them, and also that countries can be added in the future, including China.

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