Judge Andrew Hanen wrote that the government misled the court by revealing last month it had granted expanded work permit renewals to 100,000 illegal immigrants before the court blocked the administration from implementing its new policies.

He added a new hearing in March only “reinforced” his February decision to issue a “stay” to block those new policies, meant to delay deportations for millions of undocumented immigrants and provide them with the opportunity to apply for work permits. 

“It is obvious that there is no pressing, emergent need for this program,” he wrote as part of the rationale for not allowing the administration to immediately implement its new policies.