Obama immigration reforms: President still fighting for change but can he beat opposition from 26 states?

(Photo: REUTERS / Doug Mills / Pool)

President Barack Obama's administration has not given up on its immigration reform program that has currently been placed on hold following an injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen. The administration has filed an appeal at the federal appeals court to block the aforementioned injunction that was issued last February 16 and effectively push the reform program forward.

The Obama backed immigration reform program aims to expand an already existing program that provides work permits and deportation protection to illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children. Another component of the program aims to provide a similar level of protection to illegal immigrants that are parents to either U.S. citizens or green card holders.

Obama attempted to expedite the reforms by issuing an executive action that would have implemented the changes even before its constitutionality would have been resolved. Judge Hanen, at the behest of officials from 26 states opposed to the action, then issued at injunction to prevent the executive action from taking effect.

"The actual effect of the preliminary injunction is that the President may not unilaterally confer new legal status, work authorizations, and other benefits on millions of otherwise removable aliens," as reported in an article at Politico.

Immigrant rights groups are pressuring the Obama administration for a speedy resolution of the reforms before the President vacates his position in 2017 since a future President would not be legally required to continue the reforms.

Lawyers from the Justice Department have also proposed to Judge Hanen and the appeals court that the injunction only take effect in the state of Texas instead of the whole country as the evidence for potential harm presented to the Judge was only applicable to that one particular state.

Twenty-six states have opposed these suggested proposals and continue to assert that Judge Hanen has the power to issue the injunction on a nationwide basis.

 

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