Facing somewhat long odds, the Obama administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court for an immediate stay on a federal district court injunction against its immigration executive orders that would free up nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation and also grant many of them work permits.

The most notable of these executive actions are two programs, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), and an expanded version of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Both are now on hold because of the injunction.

Led by Texas, the backers of the lawsuit that resulted in the injunction have 30 days to file a response to the administration’s action but could ask for more time.

If the justices do not agree to take up the case by early next year, no decision would be reached until Obama leaves office, as the issue would end up on next term’s docket.