Thread: Courthouse packed as Texas judge reviews 25-state immigration lawsuit

Courthouse packed as Texas judge reviews 25-state immigration lawsuit

BY AARON NELSEN : JANUARY 15, 2015 : Updated: January 15, 2015 2:33pm

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• Photo By Yvette Vela/Associated Press
  Protesters gather outside the federal courthouse early Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, in Brownsville, Texas, to chant, read poems and share stories of their immigrations struggles. Attorneys for 25 states are going before a federal judgein Brownsville Thursday to argue for a rollback of President Barack Obama's expansive executive actions to spare nearly 5 million people living in the U.S. illegally from deportation. (AP Photo/The Brownsville Herald, Yvette Vela)
  

BROWNSVILLE -- A federal judge in Brownsville will give the federal government until Jan. 30 to respond to a preliminary injunction brought by Texas and 24 others states against President Barack Obama’s immigration plan, which shields around 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Attorney’s for the Texas-led lawsuit argued that Obama defied a list of provisions on immigration when he acted without congressional approval and announced on Nov. 20 a significant expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, adding a similar program for undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Attorneys for the plaintiff states said implementation of the immigration plan would cost them billions in education, health care, law enforcement and licensing fees.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, a George W. Bush appointee, pressed the government on its deferred action policy but also warned against turning his courtroom into a venue to air complaints.

“Talking to anyone in Brownsville about immigration is like talking to Noah about the flood,” Hanen said. “But we're not where somebody goes to ventilate about your latest disappointment.”

Legal scholars say the issues of deferred action and executive discretion on matters of immigration have been upheld in court, and yet there has never been an instance of discretion involving 5 million people.

While attorneys made their case inside a packed courtroom, immigration groups rallied in support of Obama’s immigration reform outside on the courthouse steps.

For more on this story, visit ExpressNews.com or read the Friday print edition of the San Antonio Express-News.
anelsen@express-news.net
Twitter: @amnelsen

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/us-...te-6018229.php

They always seem to have their mouths open screaming for more. JMO