Travis County backs immigration order

As part of Cities United for Immigration Action, Judge Sarah Eckhardt has announced that Travis County will join 73 other cities and counties to file a new friend-of-the-court brief in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the Texas vs. United States lawsuit. The brief urges immediate implementation of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. Eckhardt said the brief demonstrates support from the country’s largest cities — as well as its suburbs and rural areas — for the president’s reforms, which will provide temporary relief from deportation to immigrants who have longstanding ties to the U.S., pass a background check and meet other criteria. Eckhardt said Cities United for Immigration Action is arguing that the national public interest is served clearly and overwhelmingly by implementing immigration relief by executive action without delay. The brief also argues that the District Court judge’s decision to block executive action with a preliminary injunction is bad for the economy, hurts families, threatens law enforcement priorities and will stall desperately needed changes to the federal government’s immigration policies.