Groups urge House to reject brief in Supreme Court immigration case

Immigrant rights organizations are pushing lawmakers to reject a resolution authorizing the Speaker of the House to file an amicus brief to the Supreme Court opposing President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

In an open letter Monday, led by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), more than 50 groups asked members of the House to speak up and vote against Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) resolution, which is expected to be voted on this week. 

{mosads}“Those executive actions represent the dreams and aspirations of millions of children, parents and families who have built lives here, who contribute to our economy and our communities, and who believe in the promise of America,” said the letter signed by the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition on Human Needs, and the National Immigration Law Center, to name a few.

“Once implemented, the president’s executive actions will keep those families together and transform their lives. In doing so, they will make our nation a better place to live for all of us.”

The Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs have been on hold since a federal judge ruled that Texas and 25 other states have a legitimate basis to challenge the programs, which aim to shield up to 5 million immigrants from deportations, in the case known as United States v. Texas. 

House Republicans are seeking to file a brief in support of the states by passing what the groups assailed as a “dream-crushing” resolution.

“Joining Mr. Ryan’s efforts to defeat these programs would not be a technical legal exercise,” the groups said in their letter. “Rather, it would be a clear signal to your constituents that you want the Supreme Court to derail their hopes.”

While Republicans believe the president has overstepped his executive power, Democrats have threatened to file their own brief in support of the administration if the resolution is approved.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case on April 18.