The White House announced Friday it will ask a federal judge in Texas to lift his temporary order blocking the Obama administration from implementing its recent series of executive actions on immigration while the government appeals the injunction.
The move comes after an order by Judge Andrew S. Hanen on Monday night halted the immigration moves, which would protect about 4 million people from the threat of deportation and give them 3-year work permits. The lawsuit was brought by Texas and 25 states.
“When I can tell you is that the Department of Justice has made a decision to file a stay in this case. I will anticipate that they will file documents at the district court level on Monday at the latest,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. “And so when they have filed those documents, they and we will be in the position to talk a little bit more about our legal strategy.”
“That of course is separate and apart from our intent to pursue an appeal,” he said, reiterating that the White House believes it is on “solid legal foundation” to take the actions that Obama announced in November 2014.
