Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s deadlocked decision in United States v. Texas – the legal case that currently blocks implementation of the President’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs:
“Today’s ruling is so disappointing for millions of families in Colorado and across the country who had hoped to work through this process and fully contribute to their communities and the economy. It extends the uncertainty for these families and our nation and is a stark reminder of the consequences of Congress’s dysfunction. It’s especially frustrating in the aftermath of the House of Representatives’ refusal to debate and vote on a bipartisan bill to fix our broken immigration system, leaving our borders less secure, our economy less competitive, and far too many families unprotected.
“Additionally, the Senate’s complete disregard for its constitutional responsibility to fill a Supreme Court vacancy has led to another deadlocked ruling, defaulting to the lower court’s decision.
“Congress should cancel its scheduled extended seven-week recess and get to work on these important issues. The Senate and House should put politics aside and do their jobs by filling the Supreme Court vacancy, fixing our immigration system, and acting on the litany of other issues they’ve ignored, including funding to prevent the spread of Zika, curbing the rising costs of college, and developing an energy plan for the 21st century.”