A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked a new program from the Biden administration that allows undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to remain in the country with their families while they apply for a green card.
In Monday’s ruling, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker sided with 16 states that had sued the government, writing that their claims against the program, called Keeping Families Together, “are substantial and warrant further consideration than the court has been able to afford.” The states all have Republican attorneys general.
Undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens normally must leave the country to apply for a green card, but the “parole in place” program allows them to remain in the U.S. during the process.
The plan, touted as a key part of President Joe Biden’s pledge to “promote family unity” in the immigration system, was announced in June, shortly after the president signed a much-criticized executive order limiting the number of asylum seekers entering the country when border crossings reach a certain threshold.
The green card program was hailed as a bold move that was more in line with his promise of a more humane approach to immigration policy. It was also seen as a potentially transformative move that could influence the November election.
According to the White House, an estimated 500,000 people were eligible for the program. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications on Aug. 19.
The 16 red states, led by Texas, filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration on Friday, arguing that the executive branch lacks the authority to grant such sweeping releases to illegal immigrants, claiming it “encourages illegal immigration and causes irreparable harm” to their residents.
Notably, Barker wrote in his ruling that the stay applies only to federal agencies’ ability to grant conditional release on the spot. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it will continue to accept applications for the program but will not approve any requests while the stay is in effect.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
