Texas judge stays order forcing DOJ lawyers to take ethics classes

A Texas federal judge has agreed to postpone his order forcing Department of Justice lawyers to take ethics classes and turn over documents on some 50,000 immigrants who were granted deferred action in late 2014 and early 2015.

{mosads}Judge Andrew Hanen stayed the May 19 order on Tuesday until after he hears a Department of Justice challenge to it on Aug. 22.

Hanen, who put Obama’s controversial immigration programs on hold in February 2015, alleges that government lawyers made misrepresentations during the immigration case.

In its appeal, DOJ claims Hanen “exceeded the scope of a court’s inherent power” when he ordered the lawyers to take a three-hour ethics course every year for the next five years and turn over documents as punishment.

In the one-page order Tuesday, Hanen said DOJ has until July 31 “to file any submission they wish as to an appropriate sanction for the misrepresentations which were the subject of this court’s May 19, 2016 order and/or any evidence they may have concerning the misrepresentations discussed in that order.” 

The president’s immigration actions are currently before the Supreme Court. A decision is due in June.