State and federal Latino lawmakers are responding to the “truly disappointing” court decision affecting nearly 4.9 million undocumented immigrants from applying for deferred action.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., said the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is on the "wrong side of history" for its 2-1 ruling to uphold the temporary injunction, originally placed by Texas Judge Andrew Hanen of the U.S. District Court for Southern District of Texas last Feb. 16, that has blocked the federal government from implementing the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs.

In November 2014, President Barack Obama announced DAPA and expanded DACA's 2012 guidelines to allow more eligible undocumented immigrants to apply for deferred action and avoid deportation for three years. Following Obama's immigration executive actions, then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott initiated a lawsuit to block the programs. Abbott's lawsuit has since attracted support from 25 U.S. states, all agreeing that Obama overreached his executive authority and claimed negative financial impacts would occur with DAPA and DACA.

On Monday evening, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled not to dismiss Hanen's temporary injunction. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has since announce it is reviewing Monday's ruling and will pursue litigation with the Supreme Court.

"The Fifth Circuit is on the wrong side of history. President Obama sought to do the right thing for our country absent a legislative solution, which has been blocked time after time by Republicans in Congress. Millions of people will have to continue living in fear until the future of their immigration status is determined. We know that DACA and DAPA-eligible individuals are taxpayers and have long contributed to our economy," said Sanchez in a statement.

The California congresswoman added that she is hopeful that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of the immigration executive actions, but said Congress has an opportunity to address immigration reform. She called on new Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., to lead and allow a vote on comprehensive immigration reform.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., fellow CHC member, said the Supreme Court "is on the clock" as millions of families wait for a final decision. The Illinois congressman noted that despite the DAPA delay, the U.S. has been prioritizing deportations based on those with a criminal record -- as an effort to protect law-abiding families from separation

"This will continue with or without a ruling from the Supreme Court," said Gutierrez.

"The foot dragging of the lower courts to try and run out the clock has delayed justice, but the law and common sense are so clearly on the President's side that it is only a matter of time before these deferred action programs are fully implemented," added Gutierrez. "As a country, we want millions of people who have lived here a long time to pay fees, submit to criminal background checks, and register with the government, and that will happen eventually, hopefully by next summer. Individuals want to protect themselves and their families from deportation, and as a nation, we need to get beyond the charade of mass deportation policies that waste time and money and injure real lives, but do not get us any closer to the rule of law."

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., said she "strongly" disagreed with the Fifth Circuit's ruling. Due to the ruling, she said many hardworking immigrants, many with U.S. citizen children, will be living in fear of separation and deportation.

"President Obama's actions were well within the bounds of the actions that presidents of both parties have taken over the past fifty years," Roybal-Allard said, adding that she's pleased the DOJ will appeal to the Supreme Court and rule to implement the 2014 executive actions.

While she supports the immigration executive actions, Roybal-Allard also called for Congress to act on immigration reform legislation that would address all undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S., which should include a pathway to citizenship and securing the country's border.

Within California, where Latinos are the majority of the population, Democratic State Assemblymember Luis Alejo, chairman of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, said the ruling was "truly disappointing"

"I'm optimistic that the Supreme Court of the United States will see past the rhetoric in Washington and view the work being done in California as an example of the compassion and success that can be achieved when we honor and respect immigrants by including them into the fabric of our nation," said Alejo in a statement.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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