The Supreme Court will consider a lawsuit that challenges President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration, meaning the fate of two programs that have been blocked for nearly a year could be decided by June, before the court wraps up its term.

In November 2014, Obama issued an extension to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—granting undocumented youth brought here as children a three-year renewable work permit—and DAPA, which offers a similar relief for parents of U.S. citizen and legal resident children.

Two months later, Texas, and 25 other states including Arizona, filed a lawsuit claiming Obama had overstepped his constitutional authority. In February, a federal court ruled to temporarily block DACA II and DAPA, while the suit was reviewed. Both programs could benefit at least 4 million people, according to the Immigration Policy Institute. 

From an article in the New York Times:

If the Supreme Court upholds Mr. Obama's actions, the  White House has vowed to move quickly to set up the DAPA program and begin enrolling immigrants before his successor takes over early next year. Democratic presidential candidates have said they will continue the program, but most of the Republicans in the race have vowed to dismantle it and redouble immigration enforcement.

The administration, fearing that the program could remain frozen through the balance of Mr. Obama's presidency, had asked the court to move quickly. On that point, at least, the court agreed, and it now appears that the case will be argued in April and decided by the end of June.