Texas Judge Halts Biden Rule Aimed at Regularizing Immigration Status for Hundreds of Thousands
A federal judge in Texas ordered a pause on a Biden administration program designed to regularize the status of about half a million people who are spouses or stepchildren of U.S. citizens. The decision came after a coalition of 16 states led by Republicans sued the government to stop the Keeping Families Together initiative, which opened enrollment the previous week.
The plan relies on a policy known as parole in place. This grants temporary permission to stay in the United States, provides protection from deportation, and allows the recipient to work. Most importantly, it enables those eligible to pursue a path to lawful permanent residence while remaining inside the country, when they are married to a U.S. citizen or are a stepchild of one.
The ruling came from Judge J. Campbell Barker of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The court issued an administrative stay while the case moves forward. The lawsuit was led by the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, a figure known for his aggressive challenges to the Biden administration on immigration issues. The judge noted that the lawsuit raises legitimate questions about executive authority and the ability to set immigration policy without Congress. As a result, the administration can continue accepting applications, but processing of those applications is paused during the pending legal review. Paxton argues that the rule clashes with the Constitution and various federal statutes governing administrative procedures and immigration law.
To participate in the program, applicants needed to have lived in the United States for at least ten years and to be married before June seventeenth. The Biden administration estimated that roughly 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and about 50,000 stepchildren would be eligible for relief under the rule.
Since the program was announced last June, ultraconservative factions had threatened legal challenges and accused the Democratic administration of using it as part of a broader campaign strategy to retain the presidency. Texas has led several lawsuits against the Biden administration over immigration policy, including a separate case seeking to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that has shielded thousands of young migrants since 2012. These ongoing legal battles reflect the deeply divided stance on immigration policy across the United States.
Source attribution: reporting from multiple outlets following judicial actions and official statements from state and federal representatives.