Although the U.S. Constitution set up a system of checks and balances, the president can sometimes act without the approval of Congress. When the president issues an executive order, they act on their own to manage the federal government, and this can affect many parts of life in the United States-from immigration policies to the military. How much power does the president actually have? Readers explore the answer to this question as they learn about the history of executive orders. Sidebars and discussion questions are included to encourage readers to think critically about this essential current events topic.