It calls the ruling ‘devastating.’
The US Supreme Court decision blocking President Obama’s executive order to shield millions of immigrants in the US illegally from deportation is “devastating,” according to CASA, an immigrant rights organization. “We’re devastated for the families that were pinning all their hopes on this decision on keeping their families together, on being able to come out of the shadows and live as full fledged residents of this country,” says spokeswoman Fernanda Durand.
She says she’s concerned the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement could resume deportations. “Anybody who had a deportation order, they can go ahead and enforce that now. There’s nothing to stop it. So yes, I think they’re going to go ahead and start enforcing those deportation orders that have been halted,” says Durand.
And that could mean the break up of immigrant families, such as parents and children being separated. “Our attorney is even getting calls today that ‘you’d better get your plane ticket because you are going home now. There’s nothing to stop it at this point.’ So it’s quite devastating,” says Durand.
The Supreme Court, in a four-four tie, let stand a ruling by a federal appeals court in New Orleans that says the Obama Administration lacks the authority to shield up to 4-million immigrants from deportation, and make them eligible for work permits. The tie vote does not set a precedent. The case was US v. Texas.
“We are hoping that we will get a President who will support our efforts in immigration reform, and Congress that will have the guts to put this up for a vote and vote positively, and give our families a chance to live safely, and not break up our families,” says Durand.