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Judge Barker Rules Biden's 'Keeping Families Together' Program Unlawful, Blocking Path for Undocumented Spouses

Nov 8, 2024, 04:39 AM

A federal judge in Texas, U.S. District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker, has struck down the Biden administration's 'parole-in-place' program known as 'Keeping Families Together,' declaring it unlawful. The program aimed to provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship for undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens. The ruling is a significant setback for the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to ease immigration policies and promote family unity among mixed-status households. The lawsuit, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, and a coalition of 14 states, was filed in partnership with America First Legal. The court determined that the administration overstepped its authority by attempting to grant mass amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants. The decision affects an estimated 500,000 to 1 million undocumented spouses and could keep the program blocked through President Biden's final months in office.