Washington, DC – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today expressed disappointment in a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit against President Obama’s executive action creating a path to legal residency for some undocumented immigrants.

In its Texas v. United States decision, a divided three-judge panel of the court refused to allow the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs to move forward.

“Thanks to this ruling, millions of hard-working people who have lived in America most of their lives will continue to live in legal limbo, fearful of deportation at any time,” Attorney General Racine said. “The President’s solution was a sensible policy with strong legal arguments behind it, and we support his decision to ask the Supreme Court to review this important matter.”

The Office of the Attorney General joined a coalition of states in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the case earlier this year. The brief argued a lower court erred in concluding that the immigration directives would harm states. Rather than presenting a burden, the Obama Administration’s actions — enabling working families to participate more fully in American society, earn a fair, legal wage and pay their fair share of taxes — benefit the states by raising revenue and reducing demand for social services.

For more information about the District’s involvement in Texas v. the U.S., see: http://oag.dc.gov/release/attorney-general-racine-urges-federal-court-uphold-president-obama%E2%80%99s-immigration-reform.