Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey who previously refused to make clear his stance on the the immigration system of the United States, has quietly put his signature to an amicus brief that opposes President Obama’s executive action on US immigration reform.
The brief, which was filed by the states of New Jersey, Louisiana, South Dakota and Texas on Monday, urges an appeals court to uphold Judge Andrew Hanen’s preliminary injunction against President Obama’s executive action. The states claim that “irreparable injuries” would be caused if the deferred action programs went ahead. “The question presented is whether the president can unilaterally legalize the presence of millions of people and unilaterally give them myriad legal benefits, including work permits, Medicare, Social Security and tax credits,” the brief states. “Washington’s attempt to turn this into a policy debate only underscores the dearth of legal arguments to support defendants’ unilateral efforts to hand out government benefits in violation of federal law.”
Christie has previously criticized the immigration policies pursued by the president but refrained from detailing how he would handle the issue. New Jersey’s signature on the brief was confirmed by a spokesman; however, no publicity or further comments were forthcoming from his office.
Texas has led the 26-state coalition in the legal challenge against Obama’s executive action, alleging that his plans are constitutional and would cost states millions in education, health care and law enforcement.