By Eric Stock
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said the Supreme Court might rule on a Texas case which challenges President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
Durbin said he sat in the Supreme Court during arguments which were presented on Monday.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Durbin on WJBC.
“I can pick four out of the eight that are likely to stand with the president,” Durbin said. “The fifth (is a) big question mark. I just don’t know whether there will be a fifth.”
Durbin said a tie vote would lead to chaos.
“We would have the law being applied differently depending on where you live in America,” Durbin said.
If upheld, the president’s order would protect about 4 million undocumented immigrants from being deported.
Durbin added he doesn’t buy the argument made by the state of Texas that processing drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants would cause an undue financial burden.
“If these same people are working in Texas paying their taxes as they should in Texas, Texas is going to receive money into their treasury from their income tax,”Durbin said. “The net value to Texas in positive. That wasn’t raised. I was wondering why that wasn’t raised.”
Texas is one of seven states that doesn’t have an income tax.
Durbin added the case is an example of why the Senate should allow for confirmation hearings for Merrick Garland, who President Obama nominate to replace the late justice Antonin Scalia.
“It is driven by political hostility toward President Obama and his immigration policy,” Durbin said. “The Supreme Court repeatedly has held the federal government has broad authority to decide questions of immigration.”
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
