The U.S. Supreme Court took up the question Tuesday of whether immigrants who are legal permanent U.S. residents should face mandatory deportation for relatively minor offenses such as possession of small amounts of drugs. The case is being closely watched by thousands of immigrants in similar circumstances. In one of two related cases before the court, Jose Antonio Lopez was ordered deported after he pleaded guilty to "aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine" in South Dakota in 1997. The crime is a felony under South Dakota law but a misdemeanor under federal law if it is the offender's first...
