Fifth Circuit Judges to Hear Executive Amnesty Case Announced

Fifth Circuit Judges Jennifer Walker Elrod, Jerry Smith, and Carolyn Dineen King have been selected to hear the legal merits of President Obama’s executive actions to grant amnesty and work permits to millions of illegal aliens. Two of the judges, Elrod and Smith, have previously ruled against President Obama in regard to the executive actions.

In May, Judges Elrod and Smith denied the Obama administration a reversal of the temporary injunction put in place by a lower court, preventing the implementation of executive amnesty while the merits of the case are decided by the courts.

In November 2014, Pres. Obama announced an expanded executive amnesty that would affect millions of illegal aliens. The actions would expand his 2012 directive that allowed certain illegal aliens who were brought to the country before the age of 15 to received de facto legal status and a work permit. It would also allow parents of U.S. citizens who are in the country illegally to receive the same benefits. The administration estimated at the time that it would impact approximately 5 million illegal aliens.

Oral arguments before the Fifth Circuit will begin July 10.