Smith Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on United States v. Texas

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s 4-4 decision in United States v. Texas, which upholds the lower court’s decision that the president’s use of executive action to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants is unlawful:

Congressman Smith: “The Supreme Court’s decision today in their ruling on the United States v. Texas rightfully upheld the Constitution. The president’s executive amnesty for illegal immigrants is unconstitutional. Congress has the sole authority under the Constitution to write immigration laws, not Barack Obama. His unlawful amnesty agenda to prevent the deportation of illegal immigrants and to grant them work authorization is contrary to the law and hurts unemployed Americans.”

Smith has vocally supported the Texas-led, 26 state lawsuit since it was first filed in December 2014. Smith joined a brief in support of the Texas lawsuit with Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, and House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). More than a hundred members of the House and Senate supported that brief.  

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