WASHINGTON – DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s deadlock of 4-4 that upholds a delay on the President’s executive actions on immigration known as DAPA:

“President Obama deserves credit for the actions he took within his authority to prioritize immigration enforcement. It’s important that DACA and its protections for DREAMers remain in place. Unfortunately, because Republicans remain committed to obstructing the President’s nomination of a Supreme Court justice to fill a vacancy that has existed for months, our highest court was deadlocked and unable to rule on the merits of his executive actions under DAPA. This is what the Republican vision of smaller government looks like: a government so small and dysfunctional that the Republican-led Senate can force an entire branch of our federal government, which is supposed to be separate and equal, to deadlock on a critical ruling that affects millions. 

“This is exactly the same dysfunction we see in Congress’ inability to pass comprehensive immigration reform, or to do anything at all to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. It’s the same dysfunction we see in their attempts to focus on mass deportations that senselessly tear families apart and that cost our economy billions, even when those families have lived in and contributed to our communities for years, and when they have children who are full citizens, born and raised in America. 

“The Republican vision of smaller government is failed government, and the American people deserve better. If there was any precedent set by today’s Supreme Court ruling on immigration, it is that the Republican Party is no longer a functioning political party. Today’s Republican Party is singularly focused on grinding government to a halt, and cannot be trusted to lead.”