In a five to four vote in the U.S. Supreme Court, the high court has weighed in on a topic regarding deportation that has had many immigrant advocates and others concerned for a long time. A case related to the vote was first heard in 2017, but Justices were deadlocked as to whether or not a particular U.S. immigration law was constitutional. Justice Neil Gorsuch then joined the court, and his was the voice that made the difference for the majority, voting in favor of striking down the law; this decision has made many people in Florida and throughout the nation quite happy.
In question was whether a particular law concerning deportation of immigrants convicted of violent crimes in the United States is written clearly enough so as not to violate due process rights. The court ruled that the law is vague and, therefore, not enforceable. Justice Gorsuch later said that vague laws must always be avoided as they lend themselves toward arbitrary power.
Immigrant advocates say thousands of lives may be spared the devastating repercussions of deportation now that the court has handed down its decision. Sadly, supporters of the decision also claim many people have already been deported without due process. They say the bright side is that the recent decision will prevent such incidents from happening again.
When a U.S. immigration law problem arises, it’s easy for an immigrant and family members to panic, thinking they have no recourse under the law to rectify their situations. Many Florida immigrants and others have obtained favorable outcomes by acting alongside experienced legal representation during removal proceedings. Sometimes, all it takes is making the right support connections to overcome a specific immigration problem.
Source: The New York Times, “Justice Gorsuch Joins Supreme Court’s Liberals to Strike Down Deportation Law“, Adam Liptak, April 17, 2018
