Congressional records or official press releases

Texas Judge Strikes Down Biden's Program, Affecting 500,000 Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens

Nov 8, 2024, 11:30 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, also known as "Keeping Families Together," which provided a pathway to legal status and potential U.S. citizenship for undocumented immigrants married to American citizens. The program allowed an estimated 500,000 undocumented spouses to stay in the U.S. while applying for green cards and work permits. Judge Barker ruled that the administration lacked the authority to implement the policy, declaring it unlawful and citing violations of federal immigration law. The ruling is a significant victory for Republican-led states that challenged the program and a major blow to the outgoing Biden administration's efforts to promote family unity among mixed-status households.