Supreme Court strikes down Obama’s executive action on amnesty for aliens

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court today deadlocked in a 4-4 vote, thereby  upholding a lower court’s ruling that blocked President Obama’s executive action on immigration, asserting that the President had overstepped his authority.

The President, through an executive order, had given about 4 million immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents a reprieve from deportation, as well as work permits.  However, a federal judge’s ruling earlier this year suspended implementation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents.  The Supreme Court’s 4-4 tie vote failed to undo that ruling.

“One of the reasons why America is such a diverse and inclusive nation is because we’re a nation of immigrants. Our Founders conceived of this country as a refuge for the world,” President Barack Obama said after the decision was announced.

“Today, a divided and incomplete Supreme Court failed to reach a decision on President Obama’s actions to make our immigration system smarter, fairer, and more just,” the White House chimed in.  The Supreme Court should have 9 members, but one seat is vacant.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, released a statement after the Supreme Court’s ruling that President Obama could not unilaterally implement the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) until after a trial on the merits.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a victory for the rule of law. As the Washington Post rightly noted, ‘the action deals Obama perhaps the biggest legal loss of his presidency.’ By trying to unilaterally grant amnesty to nearly five million people, President Obama invited even more illegal immigration, which in turn undermines our security and drives down the wages of Americans across our nation. No President has the authority to rewrite the law or ignore our immigration laws, and the Court’s rejection of Obama’s executive amnesty is a powerful rebuke of this administration’s lawlessness. I salute Texas for leading 26 states in securing this important victory for our Constitution and for our sovereignty.”