Obama to Appeal Texas Court Verdict Suspending 2 Immigration Reform Initiatives

President Obama said the government will appeal the ruling by a Texas court that temporarily blocked the implementation of two immigration reform programs he initiated. These are the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA, and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

"I disagree with the Texas' judge's rule and the Justice Department will appeal," Obama told reporters at the Oval Office. "This is not the first time that a lower court judge has blocked something. I am confident that it is well within my authority and the tradition of the Executive branch is prosecutorial discretion," the President said.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday issued a temporary court order against Obama's executive immigration actions which he announced last November.

Hanen said the Obama administration did not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act, a rule that requires public comment on a new policy before it is implemented.

"It represents a massive change in immigration practice, and will have a significant effect not only on illegally present immigrants but also on the nation's entire immigration scheme and the states who must bear the lion's share of its consequences," Hanen wrote, according to Reuters.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced that his department will comply with the judge's ruling, but the Department of Justice will appeal the temporary injunction.

He also announced that the Department of Homeland Security won't begin accepting applications under the expanded DACA, which was to start on Feb. 18.

"Until further notice, we will also suspend the plan to accept requests for DAPA," he said.

Johnson said legal opinions from the Justice Department, legal scholars, immigration experts and courts "have said that our actions are well within our legal authority."

Hanen's order does not affect the original DACA, he said.

"Individuals may continue to come forward and request initial grant of DACA or renewal of DACA pursuant to the guidelines established in 2012," he said.

The ruling also does not affect the implementation of homeland security deportation enforcement priorities, which target criminals.