A federal district judge Aug. 31 issued an order that temporarily blocks the government from enacting the new Department of Homeland Security's "no-match" rule aimed at cracking down on employers that systematically hire undocumented workers. The rule had been set to go into effect Sept. 14.

The order comes as a result of a lawsuit filed Aug. 29 by the AFL-CIO, the American Civil Liberties Union, and other advocacy groups to stop the rule from being implemented. A federal district judge will consider the groups' request to permanently strike down the rule Oct. 1.

In her Aug. 31 ruling, U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney from the Northern District of California said that the groups raised "serious questions" about whether the Department of Homeland Security overstepped its legal authority in issuing the rule.

Meanwhile, employer groups are also opposing the rule. In an August 27 letter, the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition asked the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to halt implementation of the rule for a "minimum of 180 days" so that questions can be clarified. Members of the coalition include the Associated General Contractors, the Associated Builders and Contractors, and the American Subcontractors Association.