February 20, 2015 4:56 PM

Obama Administration will ask for a stay of immigration ruling

Gov. Abbott: “The President's lawless trampling of the Constitution thwarts the status quo."

The Obama Administration on Friday afternoon announced it will try to get a stay of the temporary injunction issued in South Texas earlier this week that put a halt on the president's most recent executive order on immigration.

The White House says the request for the stay will be filed on Monday following Federal Judge Andrew Hanen's ruling. Hanen did not rule on the merits of the case but instead halted the administrative action based on a technicality.

Top Republican leaders in Texas were quick to respond to the announcement from Obama’s spokesman Josh Earnest. A stay would allow the Department of Homeland Security to continue preparations to carry out the order, Earnest said. All such preparation was stopped following the ruling this week, DHS officials have said.

Gov. Greg Abbott said the request for a stay should be quickly denied.

By Scott Braddock