Last Thursday’s 4-4 Supreme Court ruling concerning President Obama’s executive actions on immigration has blocked the president’s programs from going into effect and disappointed hundreds of hopeful Princeton residents.

“This is a disappointment for the immigrant community,” said Maria Juego, executive director of the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF) in Trenton. “This would have opened a path to being able to regularize the status of many families who have been our neighbors С for decades in many cases С including parents and spouses of U.S. citizens.”

The Court’s decision will affect more than four million undocumented immigrants nationwide, including an estimated 200,000 in New Jersey, who will now be unable to apply to stay in the United States and gain work permits. Texas and 25 other states challenged the president’s executive actions immediately after they were announced in late 2014, and a federal district court blocked the plans in 2015. Thursday’s deadlocked Supreme Court vote means that the lower court ruling stands.

Heather Howard, Princeton Council liaison to the local Human Services Department, expressed her dismay. “The decision is extremely disappointing,” she said. “President Obama’s initiative was an opportunity to rationalize a part of our immigration system and prevent families from being torn apart.”

Looking forward to efforts to address these concerns in the face of this setback, Ms. Howard explained, “Ultimately, it is a reminder about the importance of the upcoming election (and the Supreme Court) to the kind of future we want for our children. In Princeton, immigrants contribute to a vibrant community. We will look for opportunities locally to help our residents understand the impact of the decision and continue to advocate for humane policies.”

As hope for timely action on the federal level has disappeared, Ms. Juego described the Supreme Court ruling as “more bad news for us. We’ve been stuck for a long time — about three decades since serious immigration reform has taken place.”

Ms. Juego stated that it would probably be at least another year before there would be a federal ruling affecting the status of immigrants, but expressed determination to move forward despite her disappointment. “State and local legislators are realizing the need to do something,” she said. “We can’t wait for the federal government, as families, especially children, continue to suffer, unable to lead normal lives.”

She mentioned that the LALDEF continues to push for a bill in the state assembly to permit local residents to gain drivers’ licenses, even without a legal residence. “There are ways to make life more functional for these folks,” she said. “The idea has been approved by the freeholders and the Princeton Council, and we will be approaching state legislators on this issue.” She noted that LALDEF had also pioneered the community ID card, an idea which is increasing in popularity throughout the state.