Valley immigrants disappointed by Supreme Court stalemate

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- There is fear among immigrants who live in the Valley Thursday after a Supreme Court ruling defeated President Barack Obama's immigration plan.

There are thousands of immigrants here in Fresno County, residents were hoping the court would support Obama's plan but those hopes were dashed at least, for now.

Outside the federal courthouse in Fresno, immigrants and activists sent a message to the Supreme Court.

"We're gonna be leaving at least 3 million people in the shadows once again," activist Jesus Martinez said.

Martinez says 45,000 of those people are living in Fresno County and Iris Medina is one of them.

"I feel American but I have Mexican roots and I'm proud of them," she said.

She is an undocumented student at Fresno State and has legal protections from deportation through DACA.

Obama's plan could have extended those protections to her parents but the 8 member court was split, 4 to 4, making it null and void.

"I want to do something about it but all I can do is protest," Medina said.

We reached out to local lawmakers and congressman David Valadao responded.

He doesn't consider the tie a decision but in a statement said quote, "it is critical for both republicans and democrats to work together to enforce our laws, secure our borders and repair our broken visa system in a humane and economically sound manner."

Luis Ojeda is undocumented but has been in the country for 22 years.

Says there is still hope, and much of it hinges on who becomes the next president.

"We always knew this was going to be a long campaign, a long struggle and we're not gonna give up," Ojeda said. "We're going to continue fighting."