APPEALS COURT STRIKES DOWN OBAMA IMMIGRATION ACTIONS: JUSTICE DEPT. TAKES CASE TO SUPREME COURT

East County News Service

November 10, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – The Obama administration is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect immigrant families after a 5^th circuit appellate court decision blocked implementation of the President’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, or DACA.  The president’s executive order would grant work permits to up to 5 million immigrants and protect most from deportation.

The appeals court, by a 2 to 1 vote, upheld a previous ruling by a lower court.

The U.S. Justice Department has issued a stating affirming its commitment to prioritize removal of the worst offenders, but not “people who have ties to the United States and who are raising American children,” Justice Department Patrick Rodenbush has stated.

But even if the high court upholds the President’s use of executive power, should a Republican candidate win the presidency and take office in 2017, the order could be reversed, leaving millions of immigrant parents living in fear of deportation, even if their children were born here and are U.S. citizens.

Pedro Rios, Chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium and Director of the American Friends Service Committee - US/Mexico Border Program, issued a statement that read in part, "Though disappointed, our broad coalition of civic, faith, labor and legal organizations, remain confident that ultimately we will win this lawsuit, and finally, millions of hardworking immigrants will be able to live, work and stay in the only country they call home. In the meantime, we will continue to organize and fight for immigrant rights, and we urge the Department of Justice to appeal to the Supreme Court."

Rios noted that despite the slow movement of the anti-immigrant lawsuit through the court system, support for immigrant families and the deferred action programs has continued to grow.  The cities of Chula Vista, Lemon Grove and San Diego all unanimously passed resolutions in support of expanded DACA and DAPA.  The fate of the programs now lies with whether or not the Supreme Court decides to hear the case.