Finds the crime of “moral turpitude” grounds for deportation.
In a 5-3 ruling that broke on ideological lines, the Supreme Court ruled against an undocumented immigrant who sought to challenge his removal from the U.S. after being convicted of using a false identity to gain employment.
The court ruled that the man’s crime made him eligible for deportation, despite some uncertainty about which exact provision of Nebraska state criminal he had violated.
He had lived in the U.S. for 25 years, but his ability to remain hinged on whether his use of a fraudulent social security card to obtain a job was considered to be a crime of “moral turpitude,” or a serious offense. Such convictions make it vastly more difficult for undocumented immigrants to challenge their removal by immigration authorities.
Justice Neal Gorsuch wrote for the majority and said federal immigration law imposes a “heavy burden” on immigrants seeking relief from deportation. “That includes proving they do not stand convicted of a disqualifying criminal offense,” Justice Gorsuch wrote.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the federal government to increase protections of Social Security numbers that have been issued.
- For members of the Senate who will be considering a broad immigration reform package.
- For ICE officials who are handling the increase in undocumented migrants at the southern border.
Sources: The Hill, Law360
