Now that the Obama administration has appealed a ruling blocking the president's immigration actions to the Supreme Court, the Republicans who brought the suit are trying to game the clock in an effort to delay the court's review of the case. Reuters reports on the slow response from Texas officials even as the Obama administration seeks an expedited review of the ruling:
The state on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court for more time to file court papers in its dispute with the federal government over the president's deportation relief programs -- a move that may delay a ruling in the case until after Obama leaves office. [...]
If the request made by Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller for a 30-day extension for replying to the government's appeal is granted, it could run out the clock on the court being able to hear the case in its current term, which runs until June. [...]
If Texas gets its way and the Supreme Court ultimately decides to hear the dispute without expediting it, oral arguments wouldn't be held until fall 2016, with a ruling not likely until after Obama leaves office in January 2017.
Of course, most of the GOP presidential hopefuls have promised to overturn President Obama's executive actions, which would provide work permits and deportation relief to up to five million undocumented immigrants. So timing is of the essence.