A Texas federal judge has temporarily halted Joe Biden’s latest attempt to expedite permanent residency for illegal immigrants married to American citizens.
This comes as a significant setback for the administration’s controversial immigration agenda, which critics argue is nothing more than a backdoor amnesty program, as reported by The Post Millennial.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker issued a two-week administrative stay on the Department of Homeland Security’s Parole in Place program.
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This program, which had just begun accepting applications, aims to provide work authorization, permanent residency, and a path to citizenship for spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens who have lived in the country for over a decade.
Judge Barker, in his nine-page ruling, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date.”
This pause comes in response to a lawsuit spearheaded by 16 Republican-led states. These states argue that Biden’s program not only incentivizes illegal immigration but also poses an irreparable threat to their well-being.
The lawsuit takes direct aim at the Biden administration, accusing it of trying to bypass Congress for political gain. The complaint reads, “The Biden-Harris Administration — dissatisfied with the system Congress created, and for blatant political purposes — has yet again attempted to create its own immigration system.”
Biden’s Parole in Place program, introduced in June as part of a broader executive action on immigration, was expected to affect around 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and an additional 50,000 non-citizen children.
These individuals, without the program, would typically face years of separation from their families while waiting outside the U.S. to qualify for similar benefits.
The criteria for the program are quite specific: applicants must have resided in the U.S. continuously for at least 10 years, be married as of June 17, 2024, and possess a clean criminal record with no security threats.
Additionally, they must provide documentation proving their spouse’s residency and pay a $580 application fee.
Unsurprisingly, this program has faced sharp criticism from conservative lawmakers.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and others have labeled Biden’s plan as a giveaway to illegal immigrants, accusing the administration of undermining the rule of law.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been particularly vocal, citing the immense financial burden that illegal immigration has placed on his state. “Biden’s unconstitutional scheme would have rewarded over 1 million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our country’s laws — and incentivized countless more,” Paxton declared on X (formerly Twitter).
BREAKING: We have temporarily BLOCKED Biden’s unlawful new “parole in place” program.
Biden’s unconstitutional scheme would have rewarded over 1 million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our country’s laws—and incentivized countless more.
This… https://t.co/TemDs5FOrL
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) August 27, 2024
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey hailed the judge’s ruling as a “HUGE win for the rule of law,” echoing the sentiments of many who see this as a necessary pushback against the administration’s overreach.
🚨BREAKING: We have obtained a court order HALTING @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris’ illegal parole in place program allowing illegal aliens to remain in our country after they’ve crossed the border.
HUGE win for the rule of law.
Onward and upward.
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) August 27, 2024
This piece was written by LifeZette News Staff on August 27, 2024. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.
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Source: https://www.rvmnews.com/2024/08/gop-states-win-temporary-block-on-bidens-immigration-plan/
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