WASHINGTON — An ideologically deadlocked Supreme Court dealt a severe blow Thursday to President Barack Obama’s immigration reform plan, casting the November election as a referendum on how to deal with the more than 11 million people living in the country illegally. The 4-4 vote leaves in place a Texas federal judge’s order that has prevented Obama from granting deportation relief and work permits to more than 4 million immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents. The tie means it will be left to the next president, the next Congress and possibly a nine-member high court to address what is widely seen as a broken immigration system.
Supreme Court's 4-4 vote sinks Obama's immigration policy
Justices' deadlock upholds lower court order to halt deportation relief