President’s immigration plan blocked by 4-4 Supreme Court vote

WASHINGTON D.C. — The White House and President Obama faced a huge defeat Thursday.

The Supreme Court deadlocked on a case concerning the president’s executive actions on the deportation of illegal immigrants.

That means his orders are blocked.

The four-four deadlock effectively ends President Obama’s executive order allowing some five million undocumented immigrants to stay legally.

The court deadlocked because it has a vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

The president tried to use his executive authority to go around the gridlocked Congress to allow some undocumented immigrants stay legally. The move united Republicans in opposition, even though for immigration reform.

The Supreme Court’s tie vote effectively kills Obama’s plan to shield millions more immigrants in the U.S. legally from deportation and granted them work permits.

Speaking at the White House after the rulings, the president made no attempt to hide his disappointment.

"We’re going to have to make a decision about whether we are a people who tolerate the hypocrisy of the system where the workers who pick our fruit or make our beds never have the chance to get right with the law," he said.

Meanwhile, the GOP House Speaker called it a victory for the Constitution.

"It’s a win in our fight to restore the separation of powers. Presidents don’t write laws.  Congress writes laws," said Speaker Ryan.

President Obama said his administration will continue focusing its limited enforcement resources on people who have committed a crime and that deportation for long-term immigrants who aren’t criminals will remain a low priority.

All of this makes the hot button issues of immigration this political season even hotter. 

A national poll last month showed Clinton at 62 and Trump at 23 percent with registered Latino voters nationwide.