The Obama administration revealed today that it will not take the fight over executive immigration amnesty to the Supreme Court, essentially admitting defeat in its fight to lift a court-ordered stay placed by a Texas judge.
Obama’s executive actions still have to be settled in court, but yesterday’s decision prevented the administration from moving forward in its efforts to sign up illegal immigrants for the amnesty programs.
“The department believes the best way to achieve this goal is to focus on the ongoing appeal on the merits of the preliminary injunction itself,” said Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesman for the Justice Department to the New York Times. “Although the department continues to disagree with the Fifth Circuit’s refusal to stay the district court’s preliminary injunction, the department has determined that it will not seek a stay from the Supreme Court.”
The arguments for the legal battle begin next month before the Fifth Circuit court, but the results of yesterday’s decision mean the final will likely be pushed into 2016.
“There’s an important hearing scheduled for July 6 at which the Department of Justice is preparing its arguments on the legal merits of the executive actions that the president announced last fall,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz told reporters aboard Air Force One. “The Department of Justice remains focused on that argument and that hearing proceeding on an expedited basis.”
Obama is traveling to Miami today for a series of fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee.