An attempt by President Obama to provide relief from deportation to five million undocumented immigrants has been struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals, reports the Washington Post.
By a two to one vote, the court in New Orleans upheld an earlier ruling against the President’s plan Monday night.
The White House says it will appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The issue is expected to be a key one during the upcoming presidential election.
The two leading Republican presidential contenders, Donald Trump and Ben Carson, have both said they would end any deportation relief should they take office.
“It took the appeals court way too long to rule, but at least now there is an opportunity to get a petition to the Supreme Court. We will strongly urge and expect the White House to move as fast as it can,” said Kica Matos, a New York-based spokesperson for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement.
The executive action would allow several million who are parents of undocumented immigrants and up to one million who arrived here as youth to receive relief from the threat of deportation for three years.
You can read reaction to the court ruling in the Washington Post.