A federal judge temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration Monday, giving a coalition of 26 states time to pursue a lawsuit that aims to permanently stop the orders.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen's decision put on hold Obama's orders that could spare as many as 5million people who are in the U.S. illegally from deportation.

Hanen's decision had the immediate effect of temporarily halting the first of Obama's orders – to expand a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children – that was set to start taking effect this Wednesday, February 18.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Tuesday afternoon it would abide by the ruling while asserting that the Obama administration would make an appeal to the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE COURT ORDER AND VIDEOS

HE DID WHAT? President Barack Obama's plan to remake America's immigration system hit a major roadblock on Monday night as a federal judge ordered a halt to his executive actions while 26 states push their lawsuit forward

FIST PUMP: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who sued the federal government over Obama's immigration plan when he was the state attorney general, tweeted Monday night that a judge had given his coalition a short-term win

CONSTITUTIONAL SMACKDOWN: Abbott appeared on Fox News in December, insisting that Obama is violating the 'Take Care Clause' of the US Constitution, which requires him to execute laws Congress passes

WINTER OF HIS DISCONTENT? Obama arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland after a four-day trip to sunny California on Monday night, only to learn hours later that his immigration plan might be coming apart at the seams

'I strongly disagree with Judge Hanen’s decision to temporarily enjoin implementation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).The Department of Justice will appeal that temporary injunction,' Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement.

'In the meantime, we recognize we must comply with it,' he noted.

Both programs, Johnson said, would be suspended 'until further notice.'

'We fully expect to ultimately prevail in the courts, and we will be prepared to implement DAPA and expanded DACA once we do,' he added.

The part of Obama's order that extends deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years is not expected to begin until May 19.

Johnson defiantly stated on Tuesday that the court's decision would not, however, stop him from exercising his authority to prioritize the removal of certain categories of illegal immigrants - namely those that are a threat to public safety and national security.

'I am pleased that an increasing percentage of removals each year are of those convicted of crimes,' the DHS head said.

At the same time, while speaking at the National Press Club, outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder warned that the controversy was far from over.

'It is a decision by one Federal District Court judge,' he said.

'This is a matter that will ultimately be decided by a high court, if not the Supreme Court,’ Holder predicted.

He said he views Monday night's development 'as an interim step in a process that has more to play out.'

Homeland Security Chief Jeh Johnson said Tuesday afternoon his department would abide by the court's decision though he 'strongly' disagrees with it. Johnson is pictured here at a White House sponsored event in Palo Alto, California, on Friday

The ruling from the George H.W. Bush-nominated judge comes as no surprise. In a 2013 ruling in a separate case Hanen suggested the Homeland Security Department should be arresting parents living in the U.S. illegally who induce their children to cross the border illegally.

The coalition now suing the federal government, led by Texas and made up of mostly conservative states in the South and Midwest, argues that Obama has violated the 'Take Care Clause' of the U.S. Constitution, which they say limits the scope of presidential power.

They also say the order will force increased investment in law enforcement, health care and education.

'President Obama abdicated his responsibility to uphold the United States Constitution when he attempted to circumvent the laws passed by Congress via executive fiat, and Judge Hanen’s decision rightly stops the President’s overreach in its tracks,' Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday night.

He announced the news via Twitter.

In their request for the injunction, the coalition said it was necessary because it would be 'difficult or impossible to undo the President's lawlessness after the Defendants start granting applications for deferred action.'

The White House rejected on Tuesday the plaintiffs' arguments that Obama acted outside the Constitution.

'The Supreme Court and Congress have made clear that the federal government can set priorities in enforcing our immigration laws—which is exactly what the President did,' the White House Press Secretary said in a statement, arguing that Obama's behavior is consistent with that of past presidents.

Furthermore, the White House said, 'The Department of Justice, legal scholars, immigration experts, and the district court in Washington, D.C. have determined that the President’s actions are well within his legal authority.'

'The district court’s decision wrongly prevents these lawful, commonsense policies from taking effect and the Department of Justice has indicated that it will appeal that decision.'

Past U.S. Supreme Court decisions have granted immigration officials 'broad discretion' on deportation matters.

Still, House Republicans say Obama does not have the authority to save from expulsion large groups of illegal immigrants and they are also taking him to court over the matter.

Congressional Republicans have alsp vowed to block Obama's actions on immigration by cutting off Homeland Security Department spending for the program.

Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled House passed a $39.7 billion spending bill to fund the department through the end of the budget year, but attached language to undo Obama's executive actions.

The fate of that House-passed bill is unclear as Republicans in the Senate are six votes shy of the 60-vote majority needed to advance most legislation. Earlier this month Democrats in the upper chamber filibustered the bill, effectively blocking its advancement.

House Speaker John Boehner, reacting to the Texas court's decision on Tuesday, said he hoped the legal development would encourage Senate Democrats 'who claim to oppose this executive overreach' to let the Senate proceed with its debate on the Homeland Security funding bill.

As for the case itself, Boehner argued, 'The president said 22 times he did not have the authority to take the very action on immigration he eventually did, so it is no surprise that at least one court has agreed.'

The top Democrat in the Senate, Harry Reid, pointed the finger back at Republicans on Tuesday.

'Courts are only involved in the first place because Republicans have spent years blocking Congress from fixing our broken immigration system,' Reid charged. 'Congress should live up to its responsibility and pass an immigration bill that secures our borders, keeps families together and provides an earned path to citizenship.'

Reid said the Senate 'is mired in a completely avoidable impasse' over Homeland Security funding because of Republicans' refusal to separate the debate over immigration reform from the discussion of the department's funding.

'Senate Democrats have a simple solution for getting out of this jam: take up and pass a clean bill to fund Homeland Security, then move on to a robust debate on immigration legislation,' he said. ' All Republicans have to do is say yes.'

ARCHITECT: Abbott is leading the charge against the White House and may have the last laugh

DEMANDS: More than 11 million illegal immigrants are livign in the United States, including millions who were brought to America as children

Illinois Representative and immigration reform advocate Luis Gutierrez said Tuesday that opponents of the president's action have 'no good legal case' and legislation on Capitol Hill attempting to restrain Obama 'is going nowhere.'

'Politically and practically the idea of deporting or driving out 11 million people and their families is absurd,' the House Democrat said. 'But a group of Republicans have not gotten the message that mass deportation and criminalization do not work and that getting people into the system and on-the-books is a more sensible approach.

'And to attach this to shutting down the Border Patrol, TSA, and Homeland Security when the threats are so real around the world is going to backfire big-time on Republican hardliners,' he added.

Gutierrez, predicting his side would prevail, said he would continue telling immigrant communities to sign up for protection from deportation through the president's programs.

'We may be delayed, but we will not be deterred,' he said.

Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Xavier Becerra, similarly projected that immigration activists would ultimately come out on top.

'Round One is in. But one round doesn’t make a fight,' he said. 'Immigrant families are accustomed to the tough fight. We’ll get up tomorrow, push hard, stay strong, and put our faith in the Constitution. Mark my words: the human spirit will prevail.'

Other Democrats were not as enthused. Reacting on Twitter to the ruling, Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said, 'This is a sad day for families simply trying to remain together under the law. The DOJ needs to appeal immediately.'

ANGER: Conservatives have bristled at the idea of the White House tossing border security overboard in favor of letting 5 million or more illegal immigrants stay

GOP lawmakers celebrated the Texas court decision on Tuesday as a 'victory for rule of law' and a 'big win.'

'Today's ruling reinforces what I & many others have been saying for a long time that President Obama acted outside the law when he went around Congress to unilaterally change our nation's immigration laws,' Texas Sen. John Cornyn said in a statement, shared on Twitter.

Texas' junior senator, Ted Cruz, called the decision 'a major turning point in the fight to stop Obama's lawless amnesty.'

'The Senate Democrats who are filibustering Department of Homeland Security funding should look hard at this ruling,' he stated. 'At a time when we face grave national security threats, at home and abroad, it is the height of irresponsibility for the Democrats to block this funding in an extreme attempt to save Obama's amnesty, which a federal judge has just declared illegal.'

Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta said in statement sent to reporters that Obama's 'amnesty program' will make 'screening and verifying the background of the applicants impossible.'

'It will also place those who are here legally in direct competition for jobs with people who have broken our laws,' he said.

'We have immigration laws in this country for two main reasons: to protect national security and to preserve American jobs. The president’s executive amnesty program violates both of those principles.'

Supporting Obama's executive order is a group of 12, mostly liberal states, including Washington and California, as well as the District of Columbia.

They filed a motion with Hanen in support of Obama, arguing the directives will substantially benefit states and will further the public interest.

A group of law enforcement officials, including the Major Cities Chiefs Association and more than 20 police chiefs and sheriffs from across the country, also filed a motion in support, arguing the executive action will improve public safety by encouraging cooperation between police and individuals with concerns about their immigration status.

Immigration groups, including the American Immigration Council and the National Immigration Law Center, joined with influential labor player Service Employees International Union, to file a friend of the court briefing, as well.

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