Illegal entry means no 'green card'

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Monday that illegal aliens claiming a temporary protected status are not eligible to apply to become permanent residents.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote the opinion, noting those here illegally were never "admitted" by the United States government.

The ruling means hundreds of thousands of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally cannot get a "green card" and should return to their home countries.

Temporary protected status allows approved applicants – not illegal aliens – to be in the country for a limited time for humanitarian reasons due to natural disasters and war.

The ruling will primarily affect those who entered illegally from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

It does not apply to those who came to the U.S. legally, but illegally overstayed their entry visas.