A Texas judge has ordered a temporary pause on a key immigration policy introduced by President Joe Biden, which aimed to simplify the process for spouses of U.S. citizens to obtain legal status. This decision represents a significant setback for one of Biden’s major immigration reform efforts.
The ruling, issued by Judge J. Campbell Barker on Monday, grants a 14-day administrative stay in response to a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general from 16 states. These states argue that the policy imposes financial burdens on them due to the costs of public services used by the immigrants.
President Biden announced the policy in June, intending to create a more straightforward path to citizenship for an estimated half a million immigrants married to U.S. nationals. The policy included provisions that allowed eligible immigrants to remain in the U.S. while applying for a green card, a pathway to full citizenship. Additionally, it applied to about 50,000 stepchildren of U.S. citizens.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose state is part of the lawsuit, welcomed the court’s decision and vowed to continue challenging the policy. The Biden administration, meanwhile, continues to face significant challenges in addressing immigration, a contentious issue ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
While the court’s ruling suspends the granting of “parole in place” status, it does not stop the government from accepting applications for the status. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that it will continue processing applications but will not grant any new ones until the stay is lifted.
Immigrant rights groups have criticized the ruling as an “extreme measure,” arguing that it unjustly halts a process that could keep families together. The court has scheduled an expedited hearing for the case, with the possibility of extending the stay as proceedings continue.
