would move to protect even more undocumented immigrants.

Under his new program, more undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children would qualify for the deportation protections, as well as older undocumented immigrants who had U.S. citizen children.

The White House criticized the ruling, saying the two-judge majority misrepresented the facts and the law.

"As the powerful dissent from Judge [Stephen] Higginson recognizes, President Obama's immigration executive actions are fully consistent with the law," said White House spokesperson Brandi Hoffine. "The president's actions were designed to bring greater accountability to our broken immigration system, grow the economy, and keep our communities safe."

Hoffine said Obama's action are "squarely within the bounds of his authority" and are "the right thing to do" for the nation.

"Fifteen states and the District of Columbia, business leaders,local law enforcement and elected officials, educators, faith leaders, legal scholars, and others have all asked the courts to allow these actions to move forward, given the important economic and public safety benefits," she said.

Republican governors and members of Congress have opposed Obama's program from the start, arguing that he had overstepped his constitutional authority and was far exceeding the presidential right of "prosecutorial discretion" — the executive's ability to focus limited enforcement dollars on selected populations.

"The president said 22 times he did not have the authority to take the very action on immigration he eventually did, and the courts have agreed once again," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said.

The legal challenge started when 26 GOP governors filed a lawsuit against Obama, and in February, U.S. District Judge