A federal judge in Texas has ruled against President Joe Biden’s initiative to expedite citizenship for a large number of illegal foreign nationals residing in the United States.
In June, President Biden unveiled a plan to grant citizenship to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who have been in the country unlawfully for over a decade and are married to U.S. citizens. The proposal also aimed to enhance protections for recipients of the DACA program, which has been deemed illegal by a federal judge on two occasions. The most recent ruling came in a lawsuit led by Texas to terminate DACA permanently.
The Department of Homeland Security introduced a program called “Keeping Families Together” to implement Biden’s plan, allowing certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens who are in the country illegally to request parole in place status.
Legal Challenge and Ruling
Texas and 16 other states filed a lawsuit against the program, arguing that granting PIP status to illegal immigrants violated federal law, the Constitution, and the Administrative Procedure Act. They contended that the program created a new pathway to permanent residency and citizenship for over 1.3 million undocumented individuals in the U.S.
Following the lawsuit, Judge J. Campbell Barker of the U.S. District Court in Texas put a temporary halt to the program and initiated expedited proceedings. In a 74-page ruling, he concluded that DHS lacked the statutory authority to implement the program, thereby vacating the “Implementation of Keeping Families Together” and PIP program.
The judge stated that federal immigration law does not empower DHS to grant parole “in place” to aliens, as outlined in the final agency action published in the Federal Register.
Border Security Concerns
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had touted the amnesty plan as a factor in reducing illegal border crossings. However, data shows that illegal border crossings remained at historically high levels, with nearly 3 million reported in fiscal 2024 and approximately 14 million during the Biden-Harris administration.
Moreover, a significant number of illegal border crossers were from countries known for human rights abuses, and there were instances of apprehended terrorists attempting to enter the U.S. illegally.
Implications of the Ruling
The court’s decision effectively blocks the implementation of Biden’s citizenship plan. With the administration having limited time left in office, it is unlikely that DHS will appeal the ruling.
Overall, the ruling underscores the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding immigration policy in the United States.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
