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WASHINGTON, May 1 (Reuters) - Seven states led by Republican governors filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against President Donald Trump's administration, seeking to end a program that protects immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children, a program initiated by former Democratic President Barack Obama.
The states filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Texas, marking the latest development in a political and legal battle over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which Trump has already attempted to dismantle.
Trump stated in September that he would end the DACA program and eliminate its protections for the immigrants known as "Dreamers," but he gave the Republican-controlled Congress until March 6 to replace it. Policy differences between Trump and legislators from both parties prevented legislative action.
Meanwhile, courts have determined that the program can continue for the time being, although no new applications will be accepted.
The program protects about 700,000 young adults, mostly Hispanic, from deportation and grants them work permits for two-year periods, after which they must reapply.
Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia argued in the lawsuit that the Obama administration exceeded its authority by creating the program without congressional action
"Our demand is about the rule of law, not about the sensibility of a particular immigration policy," said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a statement. "Texas has stated for years that the federal executive branch lacks the authority to unilaterally grant legal presence and work authorization to foreigners who are present illegally," he added.
The leader of an organization specializing in civil rights for Latinos stated that the appeal was submitted too late and is legally flawed.
"The presentation today by seven retrograde states comes six years after the launch of DACA and many weeks after three federal courts began ordering that the DACA initiative continue despite Donald Trump's attempt to end it," said Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
By Lawrence Hurley; Report by Lawrence Hurley; Additional report by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Edited in Spanish by Ricardo Figueroa
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