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The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of expanding grounds for deportation to include legal immigrants who have committed certain serious crimes within at least seven years of arrival in the country.
The big picture: The court voted 5-4 with conservatives in the majority to interpret a 1996 law as allowing the deportation of currently legal residents who've committed specified crimes before reaching an "inadmissible" period. That timeframe begins after an individual has been a legal resident for seven years.
What they're saying: "Removal of a lawful permanent resident from the United States is a wrenching process, especially in light of the consequences for family members," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority opinion.
- "Congress made a choice, however, to authorize removal of noncitizens — even lawful permanent residents — who have committed certain serious crimes."