Thousands of immigrants in Florida are in legal limbo since a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked President Obama’s executive order on immigration. It would protect up to five million unauthorized immigrants from deportation. Florida is one of 26 states suing the federal government, saying the President’s actions were unconstitutional.
This comes as immigrant advocacy groups say about 90-thousand people who have grown up in Florida were preparing to apply for deportation relief Wednesday. They were going to apply under the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program.
Natalia Jaramillo with the Florida Immigrant Coalition calls this latest legal action a temporary hurdle.“We’re just going to keep on getting everyone informed and ready and prepared to be able to apply for any deferred action once the courts make another decision on this issue," said Jaramillo.
The White House says the president acted within his legal authority. And that the Justice Department will appeal Monday night’s ruling that has temporarily blocked Obama’s executive order on immigration from November. The case now heads to the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.