Supreme Court denies Obama request to rehear major immigration case

The United States Supreme Court on Monday declined to rehear a bid by President Barack Obama’s administration to revive his plan to spare from deportation millions of immigrants in the country illegally, a case in which the justices split 4-4 in June.

In a brief order, Reuters said the court rejected the administration’s long-shot request, meaning the justices’ June 23 decision is final. That ruling left in place a lower court decision that had blocked the plan, which Obama announced in 2014 but never went into effect. The court remains one justice short following the February death of Antonin Scalia.

Obama’s plan was designed to let roughly 4 million people – those who have lived illegally in the United States at least since 2010, have no criminal record and have children who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents – get into a program that shields them from deportation and supplies work permits.

In a July 18 filing, Obama’s Justice Department had asked the court to take a second look at the case once it had a full complement of nine justices.

The Republican-backed Senate, in an action with little precedent in U.S. history, has refused to consider Obama’s nominee to replace Scalia, federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland, saying Obama’s successor should make the appointment.