The countdown is on

President Obama is ready to use the nuclear option: an executive order to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants.

Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, the top Latino elected official in the U.S., says the sooner the better. It’s time to pick a date and give every immigrant who’s been here since that date a chance to come forward.

“He’s got to pick a date for the dreamers, the young, undocumented immigrants,” says Gutierrez. “They have to be here five years – pick a date Mr. President!”

He told MSNBC the political debt is long overdue.

“The president has to stand up for a community of people (who) have stood up for him.”

Yet, the president was warned Wednesday by the incoming Republican Majority leader in the Senate, “I hope he won’t do that because I do think it poisons the well.”

On Thursday, the re-elected Speaker of the House expressed a similar concern about the safety of the water supply.

“He will poison the well and there will be no chance for immigration reform moving in this Congress.”

But Congressman Gutierrez, whose nickname, by the way, is El Gallito, “the fighting rooster,” had a warning of his own for the Republicans.

In a speech last month to a group representing millions of Hispanic voters, he said that if Republicans in any way tried to stop enforcement of an executive order on immigration, “they will be the end of the Republican Party, as a national party in the United States of America.”

El Gallito indeed. So there it is. I’m sure glad Tuesday’s election settled everything.