Obama admin asks US Supreme Court to rehear immigration case

In a last-ditch effort torevive a White House plan to protect up to 4 million immigrants from deportation, the Obama administration on Monday asked the US Supreme Court to rehear a case on which the eight-member court was split 4-4 in June.

The June 23 high court decision left in place a lower court ruling that blocked the plan, which has never been in effect. The court is currently one justice short following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February.

In a filing, the justice department asked the court to take a second look at the case once it has a full complement of nine justices. It is unclear when that would be, as the Republican-controlled US Senate has declined to act on Mr Obama’s nominee, appeals court judge Merrick Garland. As such, even if the Supreme Court was to grant the request, it is unlikely to rule on the case until well after Mr Obama leaves office in January.

Acknowledging that the high court rarely rehears cases, acting solicitor-general said the immigration case is unique.