Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a decision that could change how undocumented immigrants are treated under the law, specifically in reference to the use of social security numbers.

Today, almost a year since it was used to deport nearly 400 Latino immigrants after the ICE raid in Postville, the Supreme Court issued its decision on Flores-Figueroa vs. United States. Justice Breyer authored the opinion which explained that for aggravated identity theft, the defendant must have known they were misappropriating an actual person’s identity…Ignacio Flores-Figueroa was a Mexican immigrant working in an Illinois steel facility. Unbeknownst to him, the papers he had procured bore the name and number of an actual person. When he was caught, Ignacio pled guilty to the immigration charges but refused to accept the aggravating sentence of identity theft. While the 8th Circuit upheld the conviction, the Supreme Court’s decision today means that Ignacio will serve less time before he is deported.

Flores is still being deported. The ruling doesn’t change that or the deportation orders of others, not to mention the hundreds of other working immigrants who were deported after they plead guilty so that they would avoid long prison sentences. Remember Postville?

Via / Smartborders, Feet in 2 Worlds