The U.S. Supreme Court backed the Trump administration in a ruling concerning the government’s control over green card holders accused of crimes. The 6-3 decision reviewed the case of Muk Choi Lau, a lawful permanent resident placed on immigration parole by officers in 2012 after a trip to China. Lau had been accused of counterfeiting.
Lau contended that the move by immigration officers exceeded their authority. He claimed it enabled the Department of Homeland Security, under President Barack Obama, to commence deportation proceedings rapidly following his guilty plea for selling counterfeit clothing in New Jersey.
Justice Clarence Thomas expressed the court’s majority opinion. He stated that border officers were not required to prove Lau’s crime was one of moral turpitude by clear and convincing evidence. However, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, criticizing the immigration parole decision as leaving Lau in “immigration limbo” before conviction. Her dissent was joined by two other liberal justices.
The liberal-aligned Alliance for Justice shared apprehensions over the ruling, fearing it may widen the scope for revoking green cards. Contrarily, Advancing American Freedom, linked to former Vice President Mike Pence, supported the decision, emphasizing it’s crucial for deporting those who misuse lawful permanent resident status.
This ruling joins a series of immigration-related issues the Supreme Court is examining amid President Donald Trump’s extensive immigration enforcement efforts. The underlying case began prior to Trump’s presidency. His administration argued that suspicion of a crime suffices to place a green-card holder on immigration parole. Federal lawyers encouraged the court to expand executive power over immigration.
The court is also deliberating on Trump-led efforts concerning birthright citizenship, the potential reinstatement of a strict asylum policy, and cessation of temporary legal protections for migrants escaping conflicts and disasters.
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