The politically charged case – which comes in an election year – stems from the administration’s appeal of lower court rulings that blocked Obama’s efforts to reform immigration policy through executive orders.
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The U.S. Supreme Court will be reviewing the immigration law and the presidential power of President Barack Obama over his authority to offer “lawful presence” and work permit to around five million immigrants living in the state illegally. Under the executive actions, immigrant adults in the country illegally would be allowed to stay if they have children who are USA citizens or lawful permanent residents, according to NBC News.
Last November, protesters picketed outside the U.S. Supreme Court, advocating for an end to deportations of illegals.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said “I will recognize the legality and necessity” of Obama’s actions, citing the “broad authority” of presidents “to defer removal when it is in the national interest”.
Republican candidates, who lean toward stricter immigration laws, have called the executive orders unlawful, while all three Democratic candidates have expressed support for the actions.
“The legal argument is clear: President Obama, like every president before him for almost half a century, can and should exercise discretion in immigration matters”, she said.
Setting priorities about whom to deport is a practical response to the fact that Congress has given the administration only enough money to deport no more than about 400,000 of the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, the government says.
Some Upstate undocumented immigrants saw the actions as an opportunity in a life that has a continual threat looming over it.
The case will likely be argued in April and decided by late June, about a month before both parties’ presidential nominating conventions. “Texas would incur millions of dollars in costs”, the state said in its brief to the Supreme Court.
“[Tuesday’s] decision by the Supreme Court is exciting news for us because it means we should actually hear something this year”, said Frankie Rodriguez, the senior pastor at El Camino and an accredited immigration representative at Immigration Connection.
If the Supreme Court upholds Mr. Obamas 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.
Also under the order, DAPA, or Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, would protect about 4.1 million unauthorized immigrants nationwide. Even if the court sides with the administration, said Jennifer Piper, an organizer for the American Friends Service Committee, more needs to be done.
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“Today’s announcement…is a step forward for immigrant families and the courageous organizers who have taken action in their defense”, Rodriguez said. Those recent arrivals are not among immigrants who would benefit from Obama’s plan.
