Some Five Million Immigrants at Stake as Highest Court Weighs Obama Order

Split high court now holds fate of Obama immigration actions.

Washington, 12 Rajab 1437/19 April 2016 (MINA) – Oral arguments began Monday at the US Supreme Court as the judges challenged a government lawyer on President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive action, which would allow nearly five million undocumented immigrants to become lawful US residents.

The Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) was intended to bypass Congress, instead drawing on the executive branch’s history of overseeing immigration decisions, KUNA was quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

While no decision is expected until June, a 4-4 deadlock in the Court – following the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia earlier this year – would mean the lower court’s decision would stand, crushing the president’s hopes for any changes to immigration law before he leaves office.

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Immigration has long been a divisive issue in Washington, and a very sensitive one for families who are torn apart when parents of US-born children are deported. Many of those parents have spent decades in the US.

Despite having deported more people than any other president before him, Obama had campaigned on a pledge to give just under half of the country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants a chance to apply for work permits, as long as they had already been in the US for five years, paid taxes, and have no criminal record.

Twenty-six states are currently opposed to the DAPA order. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)