On Thursday, Rep. Pete Aguilar issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on United States v. Texas, which addressed President Obama’s constitutional authority to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and create the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program. The Supreme Court issued a 4-4 ruling, leaving in place the lower court decision that blocked the executive action.

“Today’s ruling was disappointing, but the fight for immigration reform goes on. The president’s executive actions are commonsense steps to address our broken immigration system while we wait for Congress to take action on comprehensive immigration reform. This ruling is not the end; it is a disheartening setback but the Supreme Court has not ruled on the merits of the actions and we will continue to fight for reforms that will keep hardworking immigrant families together. Senate Republicans’ refusal to hold confirmation hearings to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court has shown us the dangerous consequences of their continued and purposeful inaction.”

Rep. Aguilar has been a fierce proponent for comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. Earlier this month he hosted an Immigration Story Share at California State University, San Bernardino’s DREAMers Resource and Success Center, where students shared their personal stories of immigration. Rep. Aguilar also convened an Immigration Roundtable Discussion earlier this year; and last year he was lauded as a leader in the fight to keep the Department of Homeland Security operational when House Republicans attempted to shut it down over President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.