President Obama’s executive immigration edicts from November 2014 have been put on hold by a federal district judge and then once again upon review by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and both decisions now rest on the docket of the U.S. Supreme Court for final review.
Facing a possible hearing by SCOTUS in April, with a decision possible in June, both sides of the issue — which would grant legal work status to up to 5 million illegal immigrants — are filing briefs with the high court.
Yesterday, Texas Attorney-General Ken Paxton weighed in, saying: “The president alone does not have the authority to grant millions of illegal immigrants a host of benefits — like Social Security and Medicare — which should be reserved for lawful citizens.” He asked the court to forego the review.
This follows a brief by U.S. Solicitor-General Donald Verrilli Jr., the president’s attorney, which said rejection of the president’s plan would force millions of people “to continue to work off the books, without the option of lawful employment to provide for their families.”
Paxton’s brief says the program represents the type of “crucial change” in immigration policy that “could be created only by Congress.”
If the Supreme Court allows the executive orders to stand, Obama would have seven months left in office to implement the process under his aegis.