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Metro State Professor: Trump Can Change A Lot Without Approval

DENVER (CBS4)- A political science professor at Metro State University in Denver says although President-Elect Donald Trump will need Congressional approval for some of his goals, he can deliver a number of promises with a stroke of a pen.

President Barack Obama made many major changes by Executive Action, and Trump can undo those immediately as well as pass his own executive orders.

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(credit: CBS)

Trump's planned crackdown on illegal immigration could become a reality.

"Up to a point, presidents do have considerable say," said Metro State Political Science Professor Norm Proviser.

Proviser told CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd that Trump can rescind Obama's Executive Order shielding children brought here illegally from deportation.

"Anything that's an executive agreement can change with the executive," said Proviser.

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Metro State University Political Science Professor Norm Proviser (credit: CBS)

But rounding up people and busing them back takes money. Congress controls the purse strings and Proviser said they would likely resist.

"There are some very real divisions between the executive branch now of the Republican party, meaning President-Elect Trump, and the legislative branch of the party, especially in the Senate," said Proviser.

Among other executive actions and agreements Trump could erase, the Iran nuclear deal, EPA regulations and NAFTA. He also has the discretion when it comes to barring Muslim immigrants and unilaterally raising tariffs on Chinese and Mexican imports.

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"Anything that has been negotiated theoretically, you can do what you want, essentially," said Proviser. "The notion that the chief executive is the one who controls everything, is one of the most dangerous political ideas that we've ever developed."

One thing Trump can't do alone is repeal and replace Obamacare. He needs Congress and Republicans don't have a supermajority to make it happen. But they can dismantle many of its key provisions.

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