US apex court sets poll-year clash on immigration

The Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to an election-year review of President Barack Obama’s executive order to allow up to 5 million immigrants living in the US illegally to “come out of the shadows” and work legally in the US.

The justices said they will consider undoing lower court orders that blocked the plan from taking effect in the midst of a presidential campaign that already roiled by the issue.

The immigrants who would benefit from the administration’s plan are mainly the parents of US citizens and lawful permanent residents.

Texas is leading 26 mainly Republican-dominated states in challenging the Democratic administration’s immigration plan. So far, the federal courts have sided with the states to keep the administration from issuing work permits and allowing the immigrants to begin receiving some federal benefits.

If the justices eventually side with the administration, that would leave roughly seven months in Obama’s presidency to implement his plans. At issue is the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program, which Obama said in late 2014 would allow people who have been in the United States more than five years and who have children who are in the country legally to “come out of the shadows and get right with the law.”