<P> The President may also (as in the case of President Gerald Ford and the then former President Richard Nixon; as well as President George H.W. Bush and the former Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger); prospectively, proclaim a grant of pardon . That is the President may proclaim the pardon of an individual; a group; a corporation; or any entity, chargeable of offences, under Federal law; prospectively making the subject immune from Federal prosecution, for past, present, or future criminal acts . </P> <P> Such a pardon does this by destroying the possibility of a prosecution having a purposeful meaning or result . The rules of judicial procedure make such a future prosecution, or the continuance of an ongoing prosecution, moot . And thereby, a motion for dismissal of an ongoing prosecution; or, of an initiated future prosecution, is granted by a Court, on the grounds that the prosecution would be of no purpose or effect; and that it would needlessly waste a Court's time and the resources of an accused, who would only have the charges (for which a pardon had been proclaimed), dismissed anyway . </P> <P> In regard to immigration law, Congress, under the Plenary Power Doctrine, has the power to make immigration policy subject to judicial oversight . The Executive Branch is charged with enforcing the immigration laws passed by Congress . The doctrine is based on the concept that immigration is a question of national sovereignty, relating to a nation's right to define its own borders . Courts generally refrain from interfering in immigration matters . Historically, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken a hands - off approach when asked to review the political branches' immigration decisions and policy - making . The Center for Immigration Studies, an organization with a slant toward isolationism, suggests there is a movement to "erode" political - branch control over immigration in favor of a judge - administered system and that the results have created national security concerns . The U.S. Supreme Court case Zadvydas v. Davis is cited as an example of the U.S. Supreme Court not following plenary power precedent . </P>

Who has the power to make immigration laws