Pro-immigration reform groups will send a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan. | AP Photo Pro-reform groups slam Ryan's plans for immigration amicus brief

Fifty pro-immigration reform advocacy groups will push Republicans to vote against legislation from Speaker Paul Ryan that would allow the House to file an amicus brief in a contentious Supreme Court battle over President Barack Obama's immigration orders.

The resolution, authorizing the House to file an official amicus brief in U.S. v. Texas, is expected to be voted on this week. The court case will examine if Obama acted within the bounds of the law when he acted to shield some immigrants from deportation.


Obama’s actions have been decried by Republicans who are looking to officially weigh in with a brief against the administration.

But the pro-immigration reform groups will send a letter to Ryan, along with the rest of the House membership, asking lawmakers to “publicly” vote “against hate and vote against House Speaker Paul Ryan’s resolution.”

“Those executive actions represent the dreams and aspirations of millions of children, parents and families who have built lives here, who contribute to our economy and our communities and who believe in the promise of America,” reads a copy of the letter which was obtained by POLITICO. “Once implemented, President Obama’s immigration executive action will keep those families together and transform their lives. In doing so it will make our nation a better place to live for all of us.”

Their campaign is unlikely to have a significant impact on the vote, which is expected to pass along party lines. But the groups are hoping to put pressure on Republicans in districts with substantial immigrant populations and perhaps sow some division in the GOP conference.

“Joining Mr. Ryan’s efforts to defeat these programs would not be a technical legal exercise. Rather, it would be a clear signal to your constituents that you want the Supreme Court to derail their hopes,” the letter states.

The letter is signed by UNITE HERE!, the United Food and Commercial Workers, Voto Latino and the Service Employees International Union, among others. Their effort also includes a five-figure digital ad buy and a protest to be held at Ryan’s Racine, Wisconsin, district office.

Last week, SEIU also targeted 25 GOP lawmakers in an effort to pressure them to join Democratic lawmakers who have filed an amicus brief in support of Obama. They pushed Republicans with significant Latino or Asian and Asian Pacific populations in their districts, including Reps. Martha McSally of Arizona, Bob Dold of Illinois, and Jeff Denham, David Valadao and Steve Knight of California — all Republicans who represent swing districts.