(CNN) A federal appeals court Friday dismissed a case brought by Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio challenging President Barack Obama's contentious executive actions on immigration.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia affirmed a lower court opinion and concluded that Arpaio did not have the legal right -- or standing -- to bring the challenge.

"We conclude that Sheriff Arpaio has failed to allege an injury that is both fairly traceable to the deferred action policies and redressable by enjoining them, as our standing precedents require, " wrote Judge Nina Pillard, an Obama appointee.

Friday's opinion comes as the Obama administration awaits a potentially more serious ruling from another appeals court based in New Orleans. That challenge, in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, is brought by Texas and 25 other states. Last February, a district court judge in Texas temporarily blocked the programs from going forward.

"We've been waiting for today's decision and it is a sharp rebuke to Sheriff Arpaio's challenge to the executive actions on deportations," said David Leopold, the former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, who supports the President's actions.

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