Dallas Immigrant Families React to Supreme Court Deadlock
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Daniel Badillo, 11, of Dallas is afraid his mother will be deported.
Badillio was born in Texas and is a U.S. citizen.
His mother, however; is not.
"He says, 'Oh Mom, I can't imagine if you and me are separated,' " said Dinorah Sierra.
Sierra has lived in Texas for more than 15 years as an undocumented immigrant.
Under the President Obama's plan, Sierra would have been one of nearly 4 million unauthorized immigrants that could have applied for the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permeant Residents (DAPA) program. The program would shield her from deportation and provide of an opportunity for her to apply for renewable work permits. Thursday that plan was blocked when the Supreme Court announced it had deadlocked in the case challenging President Obama's plan. The 4-4 tie leaves in place the appeals court ruling blocking the plan.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the ruling a victory for those who believe in the separations of powers. Texas led the coalition of 26 states challenging the President's power to implement the plan on his own without Congress.
"Today's decision keeps in place what we have maintained from the very start: one person, even a president, cannot unilaterally change the law," Paxton said in a statement.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)