AP
April 17, 2015
Appellate
judges on Friday were to consider whether to lift a temporary hold
imposed by a federal judge in Texas on President Barack Obama's
executive action seeking to
shield millions of immigrants from deportation.
A
three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear
arguments in a closely watched case that is holding up Obama's
immigration action.
U.S.
District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville granted a preliminary
injunction on Feb. 16 at the request of 26 states that oppose Obama's
action. Hanen's rulings have
temporarily blocked the Obama administration from implementing the
policies that would allow as many as 5 million people in the U.S.
illegally to remain.
Large numbers of advocacy groups and immigrants were planning to rally outside the New Orleans courthouse.
Obama
announced the executive orders after the November mid-term elections,
saying inaction by Congress forced him to make sweeping changes to
immigration rules on his
own.
A
coalition of 26 states, led by Texas, filed the lawsuit to overturn
Obama's executive action, arguing that it is unconstitutional and would
force them to invest more
in law enforcement, health care and education.
Justice
Department attorneys have argued that maintaining the temporary hold
harms "the interests of the public and of third parties who will be
deprived of significant
law enforcement and humanitarian benefits of prompt implementation" of
the president's immigration action.
The
appellate court is taking up the case at a special hearing. It was
uncertain how quickly the panel might rule following the hearing. Each
side was to get an hour to
argue their case.
The
first of Obama's orders — to expand a program that protects young
immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally
as children — had been set
to take effect Feb. 18.
The
other major part would extend deportation protections to parents of
U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for
several years. That provision
was slated to begin on May 19.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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