A federal district court judge, issued a decision in the lawsuit brought by Texas and 25 other states challenging President Obama’s new deferred Executive Actions. In the decision, the judge issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking the implementation of the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Legal Permanent Residents (DAPA) initiatives.

The President's Executive Actions were intended to offer temporary deportation reprieves to many undocumented individuals who came to the United States either as children or who are undocumented parents of U.S. citizen and green card holders. These individuals must pass a background check and meet other requirements. The government had been preparing to launch the expanded DACA initiative on February 18 and the DAPA program later this spring. 

The Court’s order does not affect the existing DACA. Individuals may continue to come forward and request initial grant of DACA or renewal of DACA pursuant to the guidelines established in 2012. 

The White House has decided to seek a stay that could lift the order while it waits for a decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.