Court ruling, Cantor loss deal blow to immigration hopes

LA May Day march
Marchers rallied under the Chinatown Gateway during one of several May Day immigration-themed events on May 1, 2014, in Los Angeles.
David McNew/Getty Images

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that children waiting for their immigration visas will be bumped to the back of the line when they reach the age of 21.

"The case involved Rosalina Cuellar de Osorio, a Salvadoran immigrant who was in line for a visa along with her 13-year-old son," the Associated Press reported. "But after years of waiting, her son turned 21 and government officials said he no longer qualified as an eligible child. He was placed at the back of the line, resulting in a wait of several more years."

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's surprising defeat by Tea Party candidate David Brat in the GOP primary is being partly blamed on the candidates' differences on immigration.

Immigration reform advocates are "using Cantor's defeat to bolster their argument that there is no more time to delay," wrote Elahe Izadi for the National Journal:

"Eric Cantor's defeat at the [hands of a tea-party extremist proves] what many of us have been saying for quite some time: Immigration reform is dead in this Republican Congress," said Presente.org, an online Latino advocacy group. "We urge President Obama to face the facts, stand up to the xenophobic and hateful forces in America, and take action to stop deportations immediately. Anything less is unacceptable to Latinos across the country."

Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Congress's most vocal proponent of strong executive action on deportations, said on the House floor Wednesday that it's still on House Republicans to move on immigration reform — but that the most realistic window for it to happen is still between now and July 4, primary or not. And absent legislation, the White House will move, Gutierrez said.

"Immigration reform is not dead. It might just be moving to the White House for action if none comes from this House," Gutierrez said.

Either way you cut it, the stakes are high for the GOP, particularly come 2016: "If we don't enact immigration reform, it'd be very difficult to win a national election," [Republican Sen. John] McCain said.

On The Daily Circuit, we get an update on immigration reform and what could happen before the November elections.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.