Court blocks Obama’s action to shield millions of illegal immigrants

A US appeals court dealt another blow to President Barack Obama’s efforts to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans rejected a request from the Obama administration that it lift an injunction barring it from carrying out a measure that would have protected some 4 million undocumented foreigners from deportation.

Obama had used an executive order in November to drive through measure, but in February, just before it was due to go into effect, a Texas judge issued an emergency injunction until a trial on its legality could be held.

Leading House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said the court’s decision to uphold the injunction was “a disappointing delay of a clear outcome“. “Now is the time to restore fairness to our immigration system and honour the best traditions of our country by passing comprehensive immigration reform,“ Pelosi said.

But House Speaker John Boehner said Obama did not have the authority to issue the executive order. No fewer than 26 states -all but two Republican -had pressed the Texas judge to intervene following Obama’s order. At least 11 million undocumented immigrants live in US.