The Obama administration formally asked the Supreme Court to take up the appeal of the case challenging President Obama’s immigration executive actions.
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A federal court in Texas and an appellate court in New Orleans have ruled that the president overstepped his authority with his executive actions.
“My younger brother received his papers a year later and my parents would have qualified for DAPA last year had it not been for the Fifth Circuit Court’s decision”, she added.
Millions of people would “continue to work off the books, without the option of lawful employment to provide for their families”, he said.
Time is critical if the Supreme Court is to review the matter while the Obama administration remains in office.
If the high court agrees to hear and decide the case by late June, and if the justices side with the administration, that would leave roughly seven months in Obama’s presidency to implement his plans. As the deferred action initiatives have become highly-politicized and are yet to achieve their intended goal-keeping families together while ensuring that the government’s enforcement resources are targeted toward real security threats-there is one aspect of these measures that remains unassailable: the President’s authority to take such actions. The White House wrote, “The Supreme Court and Congress have made clear that the federal government can set priorities in enforcing our immigration laws”.
The court also examined a similar program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), to determine how DAPA would be applied.
All three women are mothers of children who are US citizens and are therefore potentially eligible for the program, MALDEF says.
The administration is reportedly planning to pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court.
SEIU Texas President Elsa Caballero (center) speaks at a press conference in front of Houston City Hall during an event organized by local immigration activists to commemorate the first anniversary of the announcement of the deferred action programs by President Barack Obama.
In November 2014 Obama issued decrees allowing people who illegally immigrated to the United States, but whose children are legal residents, to remain in the country while their legal status is resolved and be allowed to work.
The executive actions would have prevented almost 5 million illegal immigrants from deportation.
Texas quickly led a legal challenge to the program, and has won every round in court so far, effectively blocking Obama’s plans.
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But experts on the court note that the justices could also make special accommodations for a case that carries such important questions about federalism and the balance of power between the political branches of government. But 26 mostly Republican-led states challenged the program and kept it from moving forward.
