Earlier this week, a court of appeals denied the government’s emergency request to lift the temporary hold on DAPA and expanded DACA, two programs that would allow millions of families to live free from the fear of deportation.
Legal scholars have noted that this bogus lawsuit — led by a coalition of GOP Governors and Attorneys General from 26 states — has been nothing more than a politically-motivated stunt to leave families in legal limbo and prevent them from applying for relief.
The ironic thing is, many DAPA and expanded DACA-eligible immigrants call these 26 states home, and if allowed to apply for these immigration programs, would stand to contribute millions in revenue to their states and communities.
This is particularly notable in Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are leading the charge against DAPA and expanded DACA.
In their state, 594,000 undocumented immigrants are eligible for these immigration actions, according to the Center for American Progress. If allowed to apply, they’d add $338 million in tax revenues to the state’s economy over five years.
Texas isn’t the only state cynically blocking relief for thousands of its own families.
In Alabama, Gov. Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange are blocking relief for 25,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich are blocking relief for 104,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge are blocking relief for 30,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi are blocking relief for 181,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Georgia, Gov. Nathan Deal and Attorney Sam Olens are blocking relief for 130,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Idaho, Gov. Butch Otter and Attorney General Lawrence Wasden are blocking relief for 20,000 immigrants.
In Indiana, Gov. Mike Pence and Attorney General Greg Zoeller are blocking relief for 34,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt are blocking relief for 26,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal and Attorney General Buddy Caldwell are blocking relief for 14,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Maine, Gov. Paul LePage is blocking relief for 1100 undocumented immigrants. The state’s Attorney General, Democrat Janet Mills, has opposed Gov. LePage’s decision.
In Michigan, Gov. Rick Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette are blocking relief for 5,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Mississippi, Gov. Phil Bryant is blocking relief for 5,000 undocumented immigrants. Gov. Bryant joined the lawsuit without the backing of Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat.
In Montana, Attorney General Tim Fox is blocking relief for 600 undocumented immigrants. Attorney General Fox joined the lawsuit without the backing of Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat.
In Nebraska, Governor Pete Ricketts and Attorney General Doug Peterson are blocking relief for 15,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Nevada, Attorney General Adam Laxalt is blocking relief for 53,000 undocumented immigrants. Attorney General Laxalt joined in the lawsuit without first consulting Gov. Brian Sandoval, also a Republican.
In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie and Attorney General John Jay Hoffman are blocking relief for 150,000 undocumented immigrants. While New Jersey is not one of the 26 states that filed the lawsuit against the executive actions, Gov. Christie made his anti-immigrant position clear by joining the legal fight in the Fifth Circuit.
In North Carolina, Gov. Pat McCrory and Attorney General Roy Cooper are blocking relief for 122,000 undocumented immigrants.
In North Dakota, Gov. Jack Dalrymple and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem are blocking relief for 1,800 undocumented immigrants.
In Ohio, Gov. John Kasich and Attorney General Mike DeWine are blocking relief for 25,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Oklahoma, Gov. Mary Fallin and Attorney General Scott Pruitt are blocking relief for 29,000 undocumented immigrants.
In South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley and Attorney General Alan Wilson are blocking relief for 31,000 undocumented immigrants.
In South Dakota, Gov. Dennis Daugaard and Attorney General Marty Jackley are blocking relief for undocumented immigrants.
In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam and Attorney General Herbert Slattery are blocking relief for 39,000 undocumented immigrants.
In Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert and Attorney General Sean Reyes are blocking relief for 48,000 undocumented immigrants.
In West Virginia, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is blocking relief for undocumented immigrants. Attorney General Morrisey joined the lawsuit without consulting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, a Democrat.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel are blocking relief for 25,000 undocumented immigrants.
As AV’s Frank Sharry noted, “The fact that Republicans at all levels are doing everything possible to stop this long overdue relief will not be eventually forgotten or easily forgiven. Led the state of Texas, opponents have mounted a politically-motivated lawsuit and ensured it would be considered first by an anti-Obama judge and then reviewed by the most conservative appeals court in America. This is judicial activism in the extreme.”
(Data, unless otherwise noted, from the Center for American Progress)
