A federal judge in Brownsville, Texas, on the U.S./Mexico border, late Monday halted President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s ruling temporarily suspends Obama’s orders, which would have shielded upwards of four million immigrants from deportation and provided access to work permits.
The lawsuit, filed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and supported by 26 other Republican-led states, contends that Obama’s orders burden state budgets with new costs and violate the “Take Care Clause” of the U.S. Constitution, which limits presidential power. The federal government is expected to appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
The quest to reverse Obama’s immigration actions is “likely to fail” in appeals court, Hanen said. Many legal analysts agree, saying courts tend to side with presidents and could overturn the ruling soon. It may take about three weeks for the appeals court to decide the case, should the Justice Department pursue an emergency appeal.
