Supreme Court Rules Green Card Holders Can Be Deported for Obstruction of Justice

Justices of the Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. (Seated from left) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito and Associate Justice Elena Kagan, (Standing behind from left) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on June 22 that obstruction of justice is a serious enough crime to justify the deportation of lawful permanent residents—also known as green card holders—who have been convicted of it.

The somewhat technical new decision is expected to make it easier for the federal government to deport certain lawful U.S. residents convicted of crimes even if they have been living in the country for years.