Federal Judge Spanks Obama Administration, Refuses to Lift Ban on Executive Amnesty

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has refused to lift his stay blocking Barack Obama’s executive order to hand unlawful amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, and simultaneously slapped down the actions of the Administration’s lawyers in no uncertain terms.

In an unexpected late night Tuesday ruling, the Federal Judge sided with the State of Texas and 25 other states that are suing to stop the executive action that would grant legal status to at least 5 million illegal aliens.

He also issued what The Washington Examiner called “a scathing rebuke” to Obama’s lawyers for “misleading” him, and the angry judge “came very near to accusing administration lawyers of flat-out lying to him,” according to Byron York from the Washington Examiner.

The administration’s assertions in the immigration case have been “misleading,” “troublesome,” and “belied by the facts,” Hanen wrote. “Any number of federal judges, given this misconduct, would consider striking the government’s pleadings.”

The Washington Examiner article notes that Judge Hanen even went so far as to characterize the actions and assertions of Obama’s legal team as “fabrications, misstatements, half-truths, artful omissions….”

Judge Andrew S. Hanen, who first halted the amnesty just two days before it was to take effect, said he’s even more convinced of his decision now, particularly after the President earlier this year said he intends for his policies to supersede federal laws. Hanen referred to Obama’s comments at a February town hall when the president warned immigration agents to adhere to his policies or else face “consequences.”

Hanen’s move, if not reversed by a higher court, could delay any further amnesty actions until Obama leaves office, which could derail Democrats’ efforts to get illegal aliens to the voting booth in 2016. On April 17th, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments about lifting Hanen’s preliminary injunction.

Twenty six states have sued the federal government claiming that Obama’s amnesty would cause irreparable harm and financial loss to their state if the executive action continues. In late February, Hanen granted a preliminary injunction requested by the states seeking to halt the implementation of Obama’s executive order, based on an obscure area of administrative law; Obama did not give the required public notice of his plans.

The judge could also cancel more than 100,000 deportation deferrals of illegal aliens — which Obama attorneys lied to the judge to conceal — and order radical changes to the way Obama’s DHS handles future immigration cases.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has vowed to continue to “vigorously oppose the president’s illegal amnesty plan in court.” The case could go on for many more months, as it weaves its way through the system. Read More