A judge says a coalition of states suing to stop President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration has until Monday to respond to a request by the U.S. government to lift a temporary hold of Obama's orders.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas, set the deadline in a court order he issued Tuesday.
Hanen issued a preliminary injunction Feb. 16 to halt the immigration action by Obama, who wants to spare from deportation as many as 5 million people who are in the U.S. illegally. Texas leads the 26-state coalition that sought the injunction, arguing Obama's executive action is unconstitutional.
The U.S. government is asking Hanen to stay the injunction while its appeal of the ruling is heard by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court in New Orleans.