Millions of illegal immigrants face uncertainty after a federal judge put President Barack Obama’s program offering protection from deportation on hold. The Judge’s decision can be reversed in a matter of weeks, but it can also be in place long term.
What are the options? And what are the odds?
Last November Obama issued an executive order to shield some 5 million illegal immigrants from deportation. Most of them are parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents. They would also get work permits and social security numbers.
In early December, the Texas attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration calling the executive action unconstitutional. Obama’s immigration program would place an unfunded mandate on states dealing with a drove of illegal immigrants suddenly eligible for additional services, the plaintiffs argued. The lawsuit was joined by 26 states.
On Feb. 16, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen granted a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking Obama’s November executive order from implementation.
The administration plans to appeal the decision as early as next Tuesday, so let’s explore how far the dispute can go.
