TEXAS - On Thursday, November 7th, a federal judge ruled that a program pushed by the Biden-Harris administration to legalize hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants married to U.S. citizens via "parole in place" is unlawful and exceeds the president's executive authority.
According to Fox News, the program, called, "Keeping Families Together," was introduced by the Biden administration during the summer and would have given protection from deportation to illegal immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens. Following the decision of U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker, American First Legal posted on X, "We just WON our lawsuit with Ken Paxton, Raul Labrador, and a coalition of 14 states. We have officially STOPPED the Biden-Harris Administration's illegal attempt to grant mass amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens."
The program was first launched in August, but was blocked days later by Barker, who left it frozen while he considered a legal challenge brought by Texas and a coalition of U.S. states with Republican attorneys general.
In a statement, Gene Hamiliton, legal executive director for America First, said, "Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has dedicated itself to the decimation of our immigration system and the erasure of our borders. Time and again, the States stood up and toay, the great State of Texas and the courageous Ken Paxton, alongside a coalition of other brave Attorneys General, succeeded in stopping an illegal program that would have provided amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens and paved the path for the largest administrative amnesty in American history. We are proud to stand alongside these patriots in defense of our great nation."
The Biden administration had estimated that about 500,000 immigrants would be impacted and about 50,000 children. However, the coalition of states claimed that it would actually allow around 1.3 million illegal immigrants to benefit.
The states argued that the rule violates federal law, which prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining immigration benefits, including permanent status, without first having left the country and being readmitted. They argued it does that by an unlawful use of parole, which is limited to use on a "case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit."
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement, "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris created a crisis at the southern border, leaving the American people to pay the consequences. In the way of the federal government's refusal to act, states like Missouri had no choice but to step in and take action to secure our southern border. We filed suit to ensure millions of unvetted individuals are not invading our communities."
In a previous statement to Fox News Digital, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) promised to defend the policy in court. A DHS spokesperson said, "The Department of Homeland Security is committed to Keeping Families Together. Keeping Families Together is grounded in well-established legal authority and its purpose – enabling the families of U.S. citizens to live without fear of separation – is consistent with fundamental American values. We will defend it in court. DHS is continuing to process already filed applications and to accept and process new applications."
The White House also previously defended the policy. White House Spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez said in a statement, "This lawsuit is seeking to force U.S. citizens and their families, people who have lived in the United States for more than 10 years, to continue to live in the shadows. The lawsuit aims to separate American citizens from their spouses and stepchildren who are already eligible for lawful permanent residency and could remain together through this process.
This lawsuit goes against our nation's values and we will vigorously defend Keeping Families Together and our ability to make the immigration system more fair and more just. We will also continue securing our border and enforcing our laws, something Congressional Republicans have refused to do time and time again."
The states in the lawsuit are: Texas, Idaho, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
According to Fox News, the program, called, "Keeping Families Together," was introduced by the Biden administration during the summer and would have given protection from deportation to illegal immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens. Following the decision of U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker, American First Legal posted on X, "We just WON our lawsuit with Ken Paxton, Raul Labrador, and a coalition of 14 states. We have officially STOPPED the Biden-Harris Administration's illegal attempt to grant mass amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens."
The program was first launched in August, but was blocked days later by Barker, who left it frozen while he considered a legal challenge brought by Texas and a coalition of U.S. states with Republican attorneys general.
In a statement, Gene Hamiliton, legal executive director for America First, said, "Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has dedicated itself to the decimation of our immigration system and the erasure of our borders. Time and again, the States stood up and toay, the great State of Texas and the courageous Ken Paxton, alongside a coalition of other brave Attorneys General, succeeded in stopping an illegal program that would have provided amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens and paved the path for the largest administrative amnesty in American history. We are proud to stand alongside these patriots in defense of our great nation."
The Biden administration had estimated that about 500,000 immigrants would be impacted and about 50,000 children. However, the coalition of states claimed that it would actually allow around 1.3 million illegal immigrants to benefit.
The states argued that the rule violates federal law, which prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining immigration benefits, including permanent status, without first having left the country and being readmitted. They argued it does that by an unlawful use of parole, which is limited to use on a "case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit."
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement, "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris created a crisis at the southern border, leaving the American people to pay the consequences. In the way of the federal government's refusal to act, states like Missouri had no choice but to step in and take action to secure our southern border. We filed suit to ensure millions of unvetted individuals are not invading our communities."
In a previous statement to Fox News Digital, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) promised to defend the policy in court. A DHS spokesperson said, "The Department of Homeland Security is committed to Keeping Families Together. Keeping Families Together is grounded in well-established legal authority and its purpose – enabling the families of U.S. citizens to live without fear of separation – is consistent with fundamental American values. We will defend it in court. DHS is continuing to process already filed applications and to accept and process new applications."
The White House also previously defended the policy. White House Spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez said in a statement, "This lawsuit is seeking to force U.S. citizens and their families, people who have lived in the United States for more than 10 years, to continue to live in the shadows. The lawsuit aims to separate American citizens from their spouses and stepchildren who are already eligible for lawful permanent residency and could remain together through this process.
This lawsuit goes against our nation's values and we will vigorously defend Keeping Families Together and our ability to make the immigration system more fair and more just. We will also continue securing our border and enforcing our laws, something Congressional Republicans have refused to do time and time again."
The states in the lawsuit are: Texas, Idaho, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
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