Last week, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanan, based in Brownsville, Texas, issued a preliminary injunction for 26 states suing the U.S. government to stop President Obama’s executive action on immigration. The states argued that the executive action is unconstitutional and would force increased state investments in law enforcement, health care and education.
In response to this decision by Judge Hanan, President Obama’s Press Secretary released the following statement:
The Supreme Court and Congress have made clear that the federal government can set priorities in enforcing our immigration laws—which is exactly what the President did when he announced commonsense policies to help fix our broken immigration system. Those policies are consistent with the laws passed by Congress and decisions of the Supreme Court, as well as five decades of precedent by presidents of both parties who have used their authority to set priorities in enforcing our immigration laws.
The Department of Justice, legal scholars, immigration experts, and the district court in Washington, D.C. have determined that the President’s actions are well within his legal authority. Top law enforcement officials, along with state and local leaders across the country, have emphasized that these policies will also benefit the economy and help keep communities safe. The district court’s decision wrongly prevents these lawful, commonsense policies from taking effect and the Department of Justice has indicated that it will appeal that decision.
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