He said the administration will also seek an emergency order that would place U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s ruling on hold while it’s appealed — allowing Obama’s White House to implement its immigration plans.

Johnson’s comments, to CNN’s Gloria Borger on “State of the Union,” confirm White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest’s remarks Friday that an appeal is coming Monday.

“We will appeal and we will seek a stay so that we can go back to our efforts to build accountability” into the immigration system, allowing undocumented people who have been in the United States for years to come out of the shadows, Johnson said.

Obama’s executive actions would forestall deportations for millions of undocumented immigrants who are the parents of “Dreamers” — or children who have lived in the United States for much of their lives, and who Obama previously moved to keep in the country.

Republicans have been battling to stop Obama, placing the immigration fight at the center of a debate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

“We’re focused on deporting convicted criminals, threats to public safety, threats to border security, and there’s a population of people who’ve been in this country for years, who are not priorities and will not be deported in any administration, Republican or Democrat,” Johnson said.