An a surprising move, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has denied an emergency appeal from a Mexican family trying to avoid deportation.
Her decision means the government can move forward with deporting the family, even though they say they’ll face violence if they return to Mexico.

This case — officially called Espinoza v. Department of Homeland Security — is just one example of the complicated legal battles happening around immigration right now.
It also highlights the growing tensions between the courts and the executive branch when it comes to who gets to decide immigration policy.

Across the country, other courts are facing similar tough decisions about deportations, sparking big questions about how much power judges should have when it comes to immigration matters.