Supreme Court rejects disability payments for Puerto Rico residents
SSI fight prompts 2 justices to grapple with “racial stereotypes” in century-old cases on rights in U.S. territories
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SSI fight prompts 2 justices to grapple with “racial stereotypes” in century-old cases on rights in U.S. territories
The Supreme Court rejected a bid by U.S. residents living in Puerto Rico to claim benefits under a federal insurance program in the case United States v. Vaello Madero.
The justices addressed federal benefits in Puerto Rico, an effort to reclaim an Impressionist masterpiece and whether the First Amendment allows some billboard regulations.
The majority on the court said upholding the benefits could have opened the door to a broad range of other federal benefits to Puerto Rico residents.
The 8-to-1 decision rested on prior decisions, but Justice Gorsuch, in a furious concurrence, called for reversing those precedents, which he said were based on "racial stereotypes."