Tampa activists say they're not intimidated by Texas judge's ruling on immigration relief

They won’t back down.

That was the theme of a press conference held Tuesday morning in Tampa by immigration activists, reacting to an order issued late Monday by a federal judge that temporarily will block a federal immigration program that would have potentially shielded millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.

“We’re here to give the message that we’re here, we’re strong, we’re standing with our families. We’re not getting intimidated by what’s happening,” said Perla Hinojosa with Mi Familia Vota, speaking at Joe Chillura Square Park in downtown Tampa.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen of Brownsville, Texas, sided with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and more than two dozen other attorney generals from states that sued to challenge the executive action on immigration announced in November by President Barack Obama, claiming it exceeded his authority and violated the U.S. Constitution.

The temporary injunction blocks a program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), which would allow an estimated 4 million individuals to seek deferred deportation if they have been in the country since 2010, weren’t considered an enforcement priority, and had a son or daughter who was a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as of last year. It also blocks an expansion of the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was supposed to allow undocumented immigrants to apply to stay and work in the United States starting tomorrow.

“We’ve been preparing for the expansion of DACA for a couple of months now,” Nancy Palacios, with Faith In Family, said. “We’ve been doing forums in the community, and also for the DAPA program.” She said that her organization will continue to host those forums, saying the ruling “doesn’t stop the work are doing.”

“We believe now more than ever, our community has to prepare ourselves, has to keep saving up for those applications, and not allow this ruling to intimidate them, because we feel that it will be appealed, and we will come out successful,” Palacios said.

The Obama administration is expected to seek an emergency stay of the ruling while it pursues an appeal at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Obama’s executive orders on DAPA and DACA shortly after this past November’s midterm elections angered Republicans, particularly in the House of Representatives. The House has passed a bill that will cut funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration issues, and have dared the Senate to follow. The current funding is scheduled to end Feb. 27. The White House contends that the executive action is constitutional.

“We commend Judge Hanen for his ruling, which restores the rule of law to America’s immigration system, and we thank the 26 attorneys general for bringing the case,” said Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots. “The ruling also points out the lawless, overreaching nature of President Obama’s actions. We’re hopeful this will be a wake-up call to Senate Democrats, and that they will allow a vote on funding for critical DHS funding as soon as they return from the recess.”

But the immigration activists think differently.

The decision hurts the confidence of so many people who felt they were close to getting legal protections from being deported, said Daniel Barajas, with the Young American Dreamers. “Instead of helping families, instead of helping communities, we’re investigating in finding ways to keep destroying families. ” He said  his group wasn’t backing down “because this is not negotiable.”

“Last night’s decision in Texas was definitely disappointing,” Paulo Calvo-Florido of the ACLU of Florida said. But she insisted, like the others at Tuesday’s press event, that it’s not the end when it comes to preparing to enter into the DACA or DAPA programs. She also continued to keep the faith that Congress could still pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill, something that has been stalled in the U.S. House since the summer of 2013.

Organizers said similar press events were being held in 60 other cities across the country.