Texas Joins 25 Other States; Opposes DAPA

On Monday, Feb. 16, Judge Andrew S. Hanen of a Federal District Court in Brownsville, took action against the measures set up in November by President Obama to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation and grant work permits to close to five million.

The first of these programs was said to start  working on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Twenty-five other states have also filed lawsuits opposing similar initiatives across the country. 

Ken Paxton, Attorney General of Texas, hailed Hanen’s ruling as a “victory for the rule of law in America and a crucial first step in reining in President Obama’s lawlessness.” He also said that Obama’s actions were “an affront to everyone pursuing a life of freedom and opportunity in America the right way.”

Obama had announced in November the Deferred Action for Parents Act (DAPA), which would grant parents of citizens or lawful residents temporary relief from deportation. A chance for legal work would also be included as long as they have been in the country for five years and do not have a criminal record. However, Texas opposes DAPA.

Obama went as far as to indicate that population eligible for DAPA could include youth who came to the United States as children. In fact, the Migration Policy Institute estimates that the number who would benefit from the law would be 3.7 million parents out of 11.4 million undocumented immigrants.

image via http://rt.com/usa/174012-denver-undocumented-minors-controversy/

Reasons for Texas’ opposition seem to center around the idea that DAPA would encourage more illegal immigration, as they are already spending an extra $1.3 million a week for police for border security as well as $38 million to send National Guard to the border.

Another of the claims made by the state is that aside from encouraging said illegal immigration, processing “hundreds of thousands” of new driver’s licenses and trade licenses.

However, the National League of Cities and the United States Conference of Mayors produced a brief in support of DAPA. The brief cites DAPA’s possible benefits to the economy and public safety.

“Allowing immigrants to work legally and increase their wages has far-reaching, positive impacts on state and local economies,” the brief argues.