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Statement on the SCOTUS Ruling on U.S. v. Texas

June 23, 2016

Hispanic Federation has issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court of the United States’ tied 4-4 ruling in United States v. Texas.

“Hispanic Federation is deeply disappointed and frustrated with today’s Supreme Court decision in the case of United States v. Texas. For months since the untimely death of Former Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, we have warned that an evenly divided court would be unable to meet its constitutional duties to mete out justice. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has noted, an equal division of the members of the court is “essentially the same as a denial of review.” This is an unacceptable neglect of constitutional obligations by the Senate and must come to an end. The American people deserve a fully functioning, 9-member Supreme Court.

Today’s 4-4 decision on DAPA/DACA+ means that millions of undocumented immigrants and their families will continue to live in the shadows, living in constant fear of being separated from their loved ones.

In the face of the court’s actions today, the Hispanic Federation and immigrant advocacy organizations across the country will redouble their efforts to get Congress to enact broad and progressive immigration reform that includes a path for citizenship and relief for undocumented individuals that just want an opportunity to work hard and contribute to their families and communities. To be clear: today’s decision does not affect DACA as it was enacted in 2012. President Obama, in recognizing a broken immigration system, acted with leadership and vision that fell well within the letter of the law. He provided relief to thousands of immigrant families, and sought only to continue to build on this success through DAPA/DACA+.

This fight is far from over. We will continue to stand in solidarity with undocumented immigrants and their families. Today’s decision reflects the urgent need for a fully functioning Court; Congress cannot continue to ignore their duties at the expense of those in need. We will also not forget this come November. We will register and mobilize hundreds of thousands of immigrant allies to ensure that our elected officials in D.C. finally get the message that passing broad and progressive immigration reform is in their best interests and that of our nation."

To learn more about DACA eligiblity, click here.

Para aprender más sobre su elegibilidad de DACA, haga clic aquí.