Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been one of the country’s most vocal opponents of the Obama administration’s plan to grant "lawful presence" and benefits to over 4 million illegal immigrants under a policy called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents. The Supreme Court blocked the president’s executive action in November, prompting his Department of Justice to appeal the decision and balk that the judicial branch was overstepping its boundaries. On Tuesday, Paxton filed a brief that indicated he was not going to let the White House anywhere near the case.
"The president alone does not have the authority to grant millions of illegal immigrants a host of benefits — like Social Security and Medicare — which should be reserved for lawful citizens. Rewriting national immigration law requires the full and careful consideration of Congress, and Texas will continue to fight this affront to the rule of law," the brief states.
Texas was joined by 25 other states last January in suing the federal government over the unfair process. Not only is Obama’s plan unconstitutional, they argued, but an unfair financial burden on American taxpayers – to the tune of billions.
Read more of Paxton’s warning against DAPA and why he says it would be one the “largest changes in immigration policy in our nation’s history.”