President Donald Trump’s request for a quick ruling on his administration’s ability to end protections for undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children has fallen on deaf ears at the Supreme Court.
Justices unanimously refused to hear the immediate appeal of a lower court ruling that shielded up to 700,000 so-called “Dreamers.” Instead, the case will now follow a more traditional path, through appeals courts. The Supremes could take up the case after it has gone through the usual processes.
Trump’s Justice Department had asked the Court to bypass U.S. appeals courts and immediately review the ruling of a San Francisco judge that kept Obama-era protections known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), in place for Dreamers. Had the Court done so, it would have been the first time it had taken that action in nearly 30 years.
It’s a political black eye for the administration and could impact negotiations for immigration restrictions. DACA had previously been used as leverage to move Congress toward a deal, which Trump wanted done by March 5. Lawmakers have been unable to come up with a plan they could agree upon.