The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit today denied the Obama Administration’s request to begin implementing the president’s illegal amnesty plan after a federal judge halted the program in a Feb. 16 ruling. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released the following statement:
“The separation of powers and checks and balances remain the law of the land, and this decision is a victory for those committed to preserving the rule of law in America,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton. “Telling illegal aliens that they are now lawfully present in this country, and awarding them valuable government benefits, is a drastic change in immigration policy. The president’s attempt to do this by himself, without a law passed by Congress and without any input from the states, is a remarkable violation of the U.S Constitution and laws. We will continue to fight the brazen lawlessness that has become a trademark of the Obama Administration.”
The president’s amnesty plan would allow more than 4 million illegal immigrants to be deemed lawfully present and to take advantage of the following government benefits: work permits, tax credits, Social Security, Medicare, driver’s licenses, unemployment insurance, and the right to international travel. The states would also be compelled to fund additional education, health care and law enforcement costs.
Texas leads a 26-state bipartisan coalition fighting the president’s attempt to unilaterally grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. Joining Texas in the lawsuit are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.