WASHINGTON – US President Biden’s latest immigration plan has faced a judicial setback as a Texas judge has temporarily blocked the new policy aimed at simplifying the process for spouses of U.S. citizens to obtain legal status.
Dealing a blow to one of President Biden’s major immigration reforms, Judge J. Campbell Barker granted a 14-day administrative stay on Monday in response to a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of 16 US states.
The lawsuit challenges the Biden administration’s policy, which was unveiled in June and aimed to streamline the pathway to citizenship for an estimated 500,000 immigrants married to U.S. nationals.
The 16 states argue that the policy financially impacts public services, including healthcare, education, and law enforcement, used by the immigrants.
In his ruling, Judge Barker acknowledged that the claims presented “warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date.”
Following the ruling, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on X that this was the first step, affirming that they would keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law.
Immigration has always been a controversial topic in the US elections and the Biden administration has faced ongoing challenges in addressing the issue.
As the elections approach, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to face former President Donald Trump, who has branded immigration as a key issue, describing the U.S. as facing a migrant “invasion.”
As far as the policy is concerned, the ‘Keeping Families Together’ initiative, which began accepting applications this week, aims to provide citizenship opportunities to an estimated 500,000 immigrant spouses who have lived in the U.S. illegally for at least a decade. Without this program, many of these individuals would be required to leave the country for several years before being eligible to return legally.
Under the program, many spouses without legal status can apply for ‘parole in place’ after paying a $580 fee, allowing them to stay in the US, apply for a green card, and consequently get citizenship.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stated on Friday that the program violates the constitution and exacerbates the illegal immigration crisis that is damaging Texas and the nation.
The lawsuit, brought against the Department of Homeland Security, its Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and other Biden administration officials, alleges that the agency is attempting to grant parole to spouses on a mass scale, a move that the states argue constitutes an overreach of authority.
The fresh ruling suspends the implementation of this “parole in place” status but does not prevent the Department of Homeland Security from accepting applications for the status. Judge Barker’s order does not provide a final judgment on the lawsuit but notes that the stay may be extended beyond the initial two-week period, with an expedited hearing schedule now in place.
“The court thus expects that good cause may exist to extend this administrative stay for additional periods through mid-October,” the order read.
