US seeks stay of ruling on Obama immigration action

HOUSTON (AP) — The federal government has filed a notice of appeal of a ruling that temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration.

The three-page notice was filed today with U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas. The appeal will be handled by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court in New Orleans.

Court documents detailing the legal arguments were expected to be filed at a later date.

Judge Hanen issued a preliminary injunction last week that put on hold Obama's orders, issued in November, that could spare from deportation as many as 5 million people in the U.S. illegally.

Federal officials today also asked the judge to put the injunction on hold.

Judge Hanen's decision gives a coalition of 26 states time to pursue a lawsuit aimed at permanently stopping the orders.