Reactions mixed on immigration injunction
Dozens of immigrant families attended a south Phoenix congressional town hall Tuesday in search of answers regarding a legal delay to President Barack Obama's deferred action program that was scheduled to be expanded Wednesday.
A federal judge in Texas granted a request by a coalition of 26 states to temporarily block President Obama's executive action on immigration while its lawsuit to permanently stop the order goes through the courts.
Applicants are being told to hold off on sending in paperwork to federal immigration authorities.
Community leaders and immigrant activists decried the judge's ruling.
"It's a shame that we are continuing to put this kind of shadow over these communities," Congressman Ruben Gallego (D) of District 7 said Tuesday. "All they want to do is work legally, pay their taxes, raise their families and become part of the social fabric of America."
Arizona is one of 26 states that filed the lawsuit against the Feds, claiming the Obama administration is overstepping its authority.
"When we think, anyone, especially the President of the United States has exceeded their authority, we have an obligation to defend the rule of law," Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said. "It's about the rule of law, regardless what you think about immigration, regardless what you think whether the system is broken or not."
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen granted the preliminary injunction after hearing arguments at a hearing in Brownsville, Texas, in January.
The federal government is expected to appeal Hanen's ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
Obama's executive action aims to spare from deportation as many as five million people who are in the U.S. illegally.
The first of Obama's orders to come into action was set for Wednesday, Feb. 18.
The immediate impact of the ruling is up to 270,000 undocumented immigrants nationwide who came to the United States as children will not be able to apply for deportation protection under an expansion of an existing executive program.
A larger new program is scheduled to begin in May.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson issued a statement strongly disagreeing with the ruling, but outlining how his department would comply, pending an appeal by the Department of Justice. The full statement is available on dhs.gov.
Reaction among other Arizona leaders has been mixed.
Sen. John McCain issued the following statement Tuesday morning:
"I strongly support the recent federal district court decision finding that President Obama exceeded his authority under the law with his latest executive order on immigration — an action that the president himself conceded as unlawful as many as 22 times over the past two years. As this issue works its way through the courts, I urge the President and Democrats to work with Republicans in Congress to secure our border once and for all and not intentionally and unilaterally subvert the rule of law."
Rep. Paul A. Gosar and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio also issued statements applauding the order.
Gallego also expressed his conviction that the ruling would not stand, saying, "We are confident that this ruling will be overturned."
He characterized Hanen as "an extremist judge" who has been consistently overturned in the past.
Source: Joe Dana, 12 News