U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Ala., took the floor of Congress Wednesday in support of a bill to defund the president’s “defecto amnesty” for illegal immigrants.

Roby was speaking in support of Congressional efforts to halt the use of federal funds for any immigration bills. Those efforts include a series of budget amendments that would work together to provide what Roby calls a clear, comprehensive strategy for stopping President Obama’s “lawless action.

“One amendment, offered by Alabama’s own Rep. Robert Aderholt, specifically defunds the president’s plans for defacto amnesty that he revealed last November,” Roby said. “In addition, the amendment defunds the Obama Administration’s prosecutorial discretion and prevents illegal immigrants from receiving federal benefits based on these policies. I am so grateful for the leadership that Rep. Aderholt has shown in constructing this language and was proud to be an original composer.”

In her speech Wednesday, which urged fellow House members to support H.R. 240, Roby said immigration should first start with upholding the law.

“If we are going to fix a broken immigration system, the way to do it is by upholding the rule of law, not undermining it,” Roby said. “President Obama has offered amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, and that not only undermines the rule of law, it threatens American jobs. It is dangerous and irresponsible.”

After the passing of Aderholt’s bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, Roby said she was thankful and proud to have worked alongside her fellow colleague.

Roby also joined Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., in offering an amendment to prioritize the removal of sex offenders and violent crime perpetrators by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“By all accounts, this is a strong plan to block President Obama’s unconstitutional actions,” Roby said. “I realize there is a long way to go in this process. However, House Republicans promised a good-faith effort to address immigration through the appropriations process, and that’s what we are delivering.”

Roby spoke in support of the amendment Wednesday, saying the measure was necessary to prevent egregious offense offenses that were not already listed in the highest prioritized category for removal by the Department of Homeland Security after Obama unilaterally ordered a change in policy of the apprehension and detention of illegal immigrants.

“Failure to include illegal immigrant child abusers, sex offenders and domestic abusers among the higher priorities for deportation shows exactly why attempts to circumvent Congress to rewrite immigration rules are a bad idea,” Roby said.

Roby explained the amendment simply sought to make child abusers, domestic abusers and sexual offenders a priority for deportation.

Roby said Congress could continue to effectively block executive amnesty and fund Homeland Security at the same time.

“Homeland Security is also where immigration enforcement is funded, and I believe Congress has a responsibility to block President Obama’s overreaching, unconstitutional attempt to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. That’s what we promised to do, and today we followed through on that promise.”

The final bill passed with a vote of 236-191.