Texas Federal Judge Overturns Biden Administration’s Immigration Program

A federal judge in Texas has ruled against a new initiative from the Biden administration aimed at providing a pathway to U.S. citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who are married to American citizens. The decision, announced on Thursday, was made by Judge J. Campbell Barker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

This legal action follows a lawsuit filed by 16 Republican-led states, spearheaded by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which contended that the administration did not possess the legal authority to implement such a program. Earlier this year, in August, Judge Barker issued a temporary block on the initiative shortly after it was established.

In a comprehensive 74-page ruling, Judge Barker articulated his reasoning, emphasizing that the Biden administration exceeded its authority in creating the program. He noted that it was improbable the program would have survived the transition of power to President-elect Trump in January.

The initiative, titled “Keeping Families Together,” was launched by the Biden administration in August. It aimed to grant undocumented immigrants who had been married to U.S. citizens and had resided in the country for a decade or more the opportunity to obtain a green card without the requirement of leaving the United States.

Key Details of the Ruling:

• The judge’s ruling strikes down a program intended to aid undocumented immigrants.
• Immigrants typically must leave the U.S. to complete the green card process, which can be lengthy and complex.
• The “Keeping Families Together” program was designed to allow eligible individuals to remain in the country, granting them a status known as “parole” which also provided protection against deportation.

This program was only operational for a brief period of one week before being halted by the court’s decision.