The legal battle over President Barack Obama's executive order to stop the deportation of up to 5 million undocumented residents continued on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected the U.S. Justice Department's request to fast-track the review of a judge's decision to pause Obama's immigration action.

The federal appeals court issued a ruling Friday morning stating that they will not speed up the review process of Judge Andrew Hanen's recent decision to halt Obama's executive action on immigration. As a result, millions of undocumented immigrants were left waiting in limbo since they cannot apply for the two programs aimed at easing deportation threats, reports CNN.

A deputy clerk of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals said that Texas and the 25 other states challenging the president's action have until March 23 to respond to the government's request. However, officials in the Obama administration were hoping the Court would hand down a ruling by then.

Judge Andrew Hanen's narrow ruling states that the administration likely failed to comply with governing procedures regarding how federal agencies can establish regulations.

According to CNN, the administration countered that argument, stating that Hanen's preliminary injunction "irreparably harms the government and the public interest by preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from marshaling its resources to protect border security, public safety and national security, while also addressing humanitarian interests."

In addition to blocking the president's orders three-weeks ago, Judge Hanen also ordered Justice Department lawyers to appear in his court next week to answer questions over the why the DOJ gave 100,000 undocumented immigrants a three-year delay from deportation, reports KRGV.

In the meantime, 14 states have filed a brief backing the government and argue their residents "should not have to live under an improper injunction based on harms other states incorrectly claim they will suffer."

Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continued to reiterate the claim that Obama's immigration executive actions are unconstitutional and sets a dangerous precedent.