Judicial Watch Statement on Supreme Court’s Ruling on Obama Administration’s Executive Amnesty

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement regarding the today’s 4-4 deadlock decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that has the effect of continuing the halt of Obama administration’s executive amnesty program known as the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA).  The split decision leaves in place the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling that upheld a lower court ruling that put a halt to the controversial program.

Thankfully, enough members of the Supreme Court would not endorse Barack Obama’s lawless power grab that would allow him to grant legal status and, potentially, citizenship to millions of illegal aliens. But this Supreme Court action is not enough, as the Obama administration has stopped deporting most illegal aliens, releases criminal illegal aliens, and, as Judicial Watch recently reported, uses tax money to transport illegal aliens from the border in order to release them.  The illegal alien crisis, and the failure to control our borders, is an existential threat to our nation, so all Americans should be thankful that Obama’s backdoor amnesty lost today at the Supreme Court.

Obama’s amnesty plan would have allowed as many as five million illegal immigrants who are the parents of citizens or of lawful permanent residents to apply for a program that would prevent them from being deported.

Judicial Watch filed three amicus curiae briefs in State of Texas, et al. v. United States of America, et al.:

• opposing the administration’s request for an emergency “stay;”
• opposing the Department of Justice’s attempt to block the ruling that postponed immigration action in the Fifth Circuit;
• and on behalf of State Legislators for Legal Immigration (SLLI) in support of Texas and 20 other states that sued the federal government to prevent the Obama administration’s implementation of DAPA.

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