Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden’s Immigration Pathway for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Biden administration’s “Keeping Families Together” immigration policy, which aimed to provide a pathway to citizenship for non-permanent residents married to U.S. citizens, is unlawful. Eastern District of Texas Judge J. Campbell Barker declared that the White House had overstepped its authority, stating the program “stretches legal interpretation past its breaking point.”
The lawsuit was initiated by Texas and several Republican-led states, claiming the program could negatively impact state finances and represented an overreach of executive power. The initiative would have protected at least 550,000 immigrant spouses and their children from deportation. However, with President-elect Donald Trump preparing to take office in January, the future of the program remains bleak as he has pledged to initiate mass deportations and dismantle existing immigration protections.
Trump referred to the program as “mass amnesty,” despite the requirements that applicants must have been married to a U.S. citizen for at least ten years and undergo rigorous vetting. He emphasized his commitment to strengthening the border and curbing illegal immigration, insisting on the need to immediately begin deportations upon taking office.
The ruling has drawn criticism, particularly from advocates like Ashley DeAzevedo, President of American Families United, who asserted that the decision has “shattered the hopes of hundreds of thousands of American families.” The lawsuit was spearheaded by Texas GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton, backed by America First Legal, a group founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller.
As the incoming administration readies for a hardline approach to immigration, the fate of many families seeking relief hangs in the balance.
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