Some Guys Just Won’t Take ‘No’ for an Answer! Obama Seeks Emergency Ruling to Advance His Immigration Plan

The Obama Administration just will not take “No” for an answer.

On Monday evening, February 16, a Texas judge stopped the President’s plan to issue work permits and legal protections to undocumented immigrants.  The plan, which has been decried by conservatives as an overreach of executive authority, would have granted protections and benefits to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.  But Texas Judge Andrew S. Hanen, in a 123-page ruling, argued that Obama had broken the law by failing to seek public comment before implementing the program.  The Administrative Procedure Act requires that the public be permitted to voice their concerns before changes in some policies of federal agencies can be implemented.

In his ruling, Judge Hanen said,

“The court finds that the government’s failure to secure the border has exacerbated illegal immigration into this country. Further, the record supports the finding that this lack of enforcement, combined with this country’s high rate of illegal immigration, significantly drains the states’ resources.”

Today the White House announced that they will file for an emergency order, permitting the federal government to issue documents while the case is pending in appeals court.  Lawyers at the Justice Department will file their appeal by Monday, February 23, and will continue to fight all challenges to the president’s actions.

With the Obama presidency winding down, there has been a concerted effort to push through immigration reform legislation that would be part of the President’s “legacy.”

Whether the Obama Administration’s bullheaded fight to secure his legacy will take precedence over the will of the people and the concern over the President’s overstepping of Constitutional boundaries remains to be seen.