Immigration Proponents Get Boost From End to Chevron Doctrine

The US Supreme Court’s decision curtailing federal agencies’ leeway to interpret ambiguous laws will benefit many immigrants and businesses stymied in efforts to obtain employment-based visas and green cards, immigration lawyers said.

The justices’ elimination of the Chevron doctrine has been a long-term goal of conservatives aiming to undermine the power of the federal bureaucracy. The full implications of the June 28 decision—which says courts don’t have to defer to an agency’s stance on unclear laws—will become more apparent as advocates and opponents file new litigation challenging regulations amid the altered legal regime.

While scholars have said the ruling could ...