Washington, DC – On news this morning that the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 4-4 ruling in U.S. v. Texas, leaving the decision of the Fifth Circuit intact and keeping President Obama’s immigration actions on hold, Constitutional Accountability Center President Elizabeth Wydra issued the following reaction:

“As today’s rulings in the U.S. v. Texas and Dollar General cases show – in direct contrast to its affirmative action ruling just minutes earlier – when the Supreme Court faces a tough issue with an even number of Justices, it simply cannot perform its central function as our Constitution requires. Nearly 100 days after President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the vacancy left by the death of Justice Scalia, the Court continues to be hamstrung by an utterly dysfunctional Senate Republican leadership that refuses to do its job and even hold a hearing on Garland’s nomination, much less an up-or-down vote. Because the Court can’t operate effectively, one (hand-picked) district court judge has blocked a major federal program from being implemented nationwide. The Senate’s virus of dysfunction has clearly infected the Court, and today’s rulings – which will adversely affect millions of families living in America – are the sad proof.”

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Resources:

CAC “friend of the court” brief in U.S. v. Texas: http://theusconstitution.org/cases/united-states-v-texas-us-sup-ct 

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Constitutional Accountability Center (www.theusconstitution.org) is a think tank, public interest law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text and history.

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