Supreme Court receives letters of support in immigration case
The Supreme Court received several legal briefs asking them to uphold President Barack Obama’s executive orders that offer temporary deportation relief and work permits to millions of undocumented immigrants.
Separate amicus briefs came from attorney generals of 15 states, mayors of New York and Los Angeles, Democratic lawmakers, and businessmen including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
On April 18, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the case. Texas and several other states sued, arguing that President Obama’s actions are illegal. A lower court previously ruled in their favor and ordered an injunction to block the executive orders.
California officials back Obama's immigration policies
California’s Attorney General Kamala D. Harris called President Obama’s policies, “common sense actions on immigration, which allow millions of hard-working immigrants to come out of the shadows, contribute to the prosperity of this nation and build their American Dream.”
The brief she signed on to argues that the president’s policies allowing children of migrants who were brought to the country illegally help the states.
"Past experience demonstrates that suspending deportation and providing work authorization aids families and state economies by increasing earnings and growing the tax base,” the brief states. “The reason is simple: When workers are able to come out of the shadows and move between jobs, they are able to maximize their income.”