Obama appeals immigration decision

DAPA was created to provide illegal immigrants with work permits and a legal status that would allow them to pay their taxes and benefit from federal health programs, and other services.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Obama’s initiative exceeded his authority as president.

“Congress must take action to pass comprehensive immigration reform, and voters must make their voices heard at the ballot box”, Sanchez said.

The march, which began in Arlington, Virginia, and culminated at the White House, marked the one-year anniversary since President Obama’s executive order to expand protections for immigrants who came to the U.S.as minors or are parents of US citizens.

Among the protesters were many immigrants affected by Obama’s actions, which protect qualified parents of US-born children and undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children or teens. A few 5.3 million USA citizens have at least one undocumented parent who might qualify for DAPA if the courts allowed the program to operate, according to a study the Center for American Progress released Thursday.

“If left undisturbed, that ruling will allow States to frustrate the federal government’s enforcement of the Nation’s immigration laws”, Verrilli wrote. It was unclear whether the Supreme Court will choose to hear the case.

The Obama administration is asking the Supreme Court for a speedy decision on its plans to shield from deportation millions of immigrants living in the country illegally.

The administration contends the states have no legal standing to sue because it is up to the federal government to set immigration policy and that the Department of Homeland Security did not violate federal statutes in devising the new program.

If the court accepts the case, the decision would come just months before Americans go to the polls to elect a new president. The appeals court reversed that decision last week, but only on Thursday did it officially grant the women permission to join in the expected Supreme Court appeal.

Republicans immediately outcried the action as an illegal executive overreach when Obama announced it last November. Republicans largely oppose the executive actions.

Sadly, too many immigrants in our communities continue to be treated inhumanely by our law enforcement agencies, scapegoated for social problems they did not create, and used as a crass, election-year wedge issue. But 26 mostly Republican-led states challenged the program and kept it from moving forward.

Cornyn added that the Obama administration should work with Congress rather than trying to defend the “unconstitutional executive order”.

A district court blocked the program from going into effect.