Federal Judge Sets Hearing Date For States’ Immigration Lawsuit

U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen has scheduled the first hearing for the states’ immigration lawsuit against President Barack Obama for January 15 at 10 a.m. in Brownsville, Texas. The attorneys general of 24 states filed the immigration lawsuit to block President Obama’s executive orders that would suspend the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants. The states allege that the President has overstepped his Constitutional authority by issuing the orders, while the White House maintains that the President’s actions are still in line with the Constitution.

President’s Orders Spur Immigration Lawsuit

The reasons behind the states’ immigration lawsuit stemmed from delays in Congress on passing legislation last November. When Congress failed to vote on the proposal in a timely manner, the President chose instead to issue executive orders that would suspend the threat of deportation for millions of illegal immigrants. The President also announced a plan that would allow illegal immigrants whose children are citizens or legal residents to obtain work permits. The orders also included a program to give temporary deportation reprieves to those illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors.

Olens: Immigration Lawsuit “About the Rule of Law”

Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens is among the two dozen of his counterparts behind the immigration lawsuit against President Obama. Mr. Olens released a statement last month about the immigration lawsuit, claiming that immigration was not the core issue behind the proceedings. In his statement, he said that the suit was about “the rule of law, presidential power, and enforcement of the U.S. Constitution.” While Mr. Olens agreed that the U.S. is sorely in need of immigration law reform, he called the President’s actions “unconstitutional” and said that the orders “only add to the uncertainty” illegal immigrants face.

Congress Members Join Immigration Lawsuit

Dozens of members of Congress, most of them Republicans, have also joined in on the immigration lawsuit. A total of 68 members of the Senate and the House of Representatives added their names to a brief filed with the Brownsville court in support of the states’ immigration lawsuit. The brief says that the President’s actions ignore “Congress’ exclusive authority over immigration” and that they have the goal of “setting new policy and creating new law.”

Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution (1) (2)

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