On Monday, a federal judge in Texas officially declined to lift the block of the Obama Administration’s immigration plans for at least 10 more days, according to court records.
Federal District Judge Andrew Hanen
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen who is located in in Brownsville, Texas which is close to the U.S border with Mexico was responsible for a preliminary injunction that halted President Barack Obama’s immigration reform. This reform would have provided deportation protection for millions of illegal immigrants currently living in the United States.
Hanen’s Court Order
On 3/9/2015, Hanen declared that the court would not rule on any pending motions (such as the block on Obama’s immigration reform) until a court hearing which is set for March 19. During this hearing, government attorneys will be tasked with explaining a filing which stated approximately 100,000 thousand individuals had received deferred action protection prior to Judge Hanen’s injunction.
Criticisms on Hanen’s Decision
Judge Hanen is known for his strong position on immigration. He has publicly voiced that he believes current enforcement of immigration policies are too lax and that the policies themselves should be made even stricter. Some analysts would argue that his decision to block immigration reform is an effort to protect the best interests of Texas as Judge Hanen did not voice how other states would benefit from his actions.
Emergency Stay and the U.S. Justice Department
As recently as February 23, the U.S. Justice Department officially requested an “emergency stay” for Hanen’s decision in addtion to asking that he limit his decision to Texas only, as opposed to the entire nation. The Justice Department has further voiced that it would bring its request before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, located in New Orleans if Hanen does not act. Commentary from the department has been very limited.
DACA and DAPA Applicants Should Prepare Thier Cases
Although DACA and DAPA have been impeded, the administration and U.S. Justice Department have been strongly fighting for the reforms to move forward. If you or a loved one would be eligible for either reform, please give us a call or contact us online immediately. We can begin preparing your case so that you are ready when reform is approved.
