One of the Supreme Court cases hanging in the balance following Antonin Scalia’s death could have grave consequences for 5.5 million undocumented immigrants currently protected under President Barack Obama’s executive action, aka Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The now eight-member court will hear United States v. Texas starting on April 18, and a ruling can come as soon as June, according to Fusion.
A tie would uphold the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling that Obama exceeded his power, meaning more immigrants will live in fear. In light of this, Mark Zuckerberg, Michigan-based Taquería El Rincón Mexicano, The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and 60 other entrepreneurs and leaders signed onto a brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold Obama’s executive action.
“Instead of inviting the economic contributions of immigrants, our immigration enforcement policies have often inhibited the productivity of U.S. companies and made it harder for them to compete in the global marketplace,” the FWD.us brief read. “The U.S. agricultural industry, for example, has suffered billions of dollars in losses due to labor shortages linked to our immigration enforcement policies—and what American farmers have been unable to grow, foreign competitors have stepped in to supply. America’s immigration enforcement policies should ensure that immigrants’ ingenuity, skills, and entrepreneurial spirit are contributing to the U.S. economy—and deferred action policies are a helpful start.”
The House will vote to also file a brief in the U.S. v. Texas case – something the chamber has never done, according to Speaker Paul Ryan.
“This is a very extraordinary step. In fact, it’s never been done before. This executive amnesty is a direct attack on the Congress’ Article One powers under our constitution. This is a question between Article One and Article Two,” said Ryan, Politico reports. “The president is not permitted to write law. Only Congress is. The House will make that very, very clear.”