Federal judge stalls Obama’s executive action on immigration
18 Feb 2015 11:23 PM GMT
A federal judge temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration on Monday, giving a coalition of 26 states time to pursue a lawsuit that aims to permanently stop the orders.
US district judge Andrew Hanen's decision puts on hold Obama's orders that could spare as many as five million people who are in the US illegally from deportation. The federal government is expected to appeal the ruling to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The justice department had no immediate comment late Monday night.
Hanen's decision will not have any immediate effect because the first of Obama's orders — to expand
a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the US illegally as children — is not set to start taking effect until Feb 18. The other major part of Obama's order, which extends deportation protections to parents of US citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, is not expected to begin until May 19.
In a 2013 ruling in a separate case, Hanen suggested the Homeland Security Dept should be arresting parents living in the US illegally who induce their children to cross the border. The coalition, led by Texas and made up of mostly conservative states in the South and Midwest, argues that Obama has violated the “Take Care Clause” of the US Constitution, which they say limits the scope of presidential power. They also say the order will force increased investment in law enforcement, health care and education. In their request for the injunction, the coalition said it was necessary because it would be “difficult or impossible to undo the President's lawlessness after the Defendants start granting applications for deferred action.”
US district judge Andrew Hanen's decision puts on hold Obama's orders that could spare as many as five million people who are in the US illegally from deportation. The federal government is expected to appeal the ruling to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The justice department had no immediate comment late Monday night.
Hanen's decision will not have any immediate effect because the first of Obama's orders — to expand
a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the US illegally as children — is not set to start taking effect until Feb 18. The other major part of Obama's order, which extends deportation protections to parents of US citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, is not expected to begin until May 19.
In a 2013 ruling in a separate case, Hanen suggested the Homeland Security Dept should be arresting parents living in the US illegally who induce their children to cross the border. The coalition, led by Texas and made up of mostly conservative states in the South and Midwest, argues that Obama has violated the “Take Care Clause” of the US Constitution, which they say limits the scope of presidential power. They also say the order will force increased investment in law enforcement, health care and education. In their request for the injunction, the coalition said it was necessary because it would be “difficult or impossible to undo the President's lawlessness after the Defendants start granting applications for deferred action.”
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