After saying he couldn’t do it on nearly two dozen occasions, President Obama did it.
In November 2014, right after the midterm elections that gave Republicans control of the Senate, President Obama announced he would, through executive action, overhaul immigration policy. The result was a policy known as DAPA – Deferred Action for Parental Accountability – where the White House extended temporary status to millions of illegal aliens, shielding them from deportations and allowing them to apply for work permits.
Led by Texas, twenty-six states filed a lawsuit against Obama's unilateral program, and this morning the Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments. The case, United States v. Texas, has been a victory thus far for conservatives, with lower courts putting the brakes on the program and agreeing with the president’s original assertion that he could not, in fact, make sweeping changes to the nation's immigration system all by himself.
However, the Supreme Court's ultimate decision on the topic may be a tossup due to the death of Antonin Scalia in February. The New York Times reported this morning that all eyes are now on Chief Justice John Roberts, with many pondering if he will once again break ranks with conservatives and save the president’s plan.
Supreme Court Hears Immigration Case Today from PeerDaily on Vimeo.