SPLC: Fight for immigration reform to continue despite temporary hold on Obama executive order

A federal judge’s decision this week to temporarily block the Obama administration’s executive order on immigration stalls critical humanitarian relief that is needed until comprehensive immigration reform is passed by Congress, the Southern Poverty Law Center announced.

“We are disappointed by the court’s ruling, but trust that it will ultimately be reversed when it is appealed,” said Sam Brooke, SPLC senior staff attorney. “This immigration relief is designed to prioritize American values by ensuring that U.S. citizen children will not grow up separated from their parents, and providing limited humanitarian relief. 

“Everyone agrees that the long-term solutions to our broken immigration system must come from Congress, but President Obama’s reasonable steps would provide critical interim relief, and should be permitted to go into effect.”  

The judge’s decision, which was filed late Monday, stems from 26 states filing suit against the Obama administration in December on the grounds that the action was an overreach of presidential power. The president announced the executive order last year to grant “deferred action” to undocumented parents of U.S. citizen and lawful permanent resident children. It also seeks to make better use of Department of Homeland Security resources. This action is an interim fix, since only Congress can comprehensively reform the immigration system. 

The SPLC joined others in filing an amicus brief in December. The brief, which stated that the order was within the president’s authority, focused on the humanitarian benefits of the interim relief.