U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has denied the Justice Department's request to stay his injunction against Obama's executive action on immigration.
The Obama administration submitted a request Monday for Judge Hanen to lift his temporary ban on the executive amnesty program by Wednesday, hoping that Hanen would allow the program to go forward while the case worked its way through court.
Hanen, however, denied the request, explaining that he has given those challenging the administration's actions until Monday to respond to the Justice Department.
The Texas judge issued his injunction against the president's unilateral immigration program on Feb. 16, requiring the administration to temporarily halt all implementation of the executive orders (though reports suggest that it is not doing so). The injunction was requested by a coalition of 26 states which argued that the president's program was an unconstitutional overreach of his authority.
The administration is appealing Hanen's ruling in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court in New Orleans.
Meanwhile, the Obama and his administration have ramped up their public defense of the executive actions, insisting the "law is on our side" and repeatedly declaring that the Obama is acting "within his legal authority."
