Court records and official announcements from the U.S. Department of Justice

Judge Barker Strikes Down Biden's Parole-in-Place Program Affecting Up to 1 Million Undocumented Spouses

Nov 8, 2024, 02:03 AM

U.S. District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker has struck down the Biden administration's "Keeping Families Together" program, which provided a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens through a "parole-in-place" policy. The program aimed to shield select undocumented spouses from deportation and offer them a streamlined path to obtain green cards and, eventually, U.S. citizenship. The lawsuit, brought by a coalition of 14 Republican-led states—including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador—along with America First Legal, successfully halted the program. The court's decision affects up to one million undocumented immigrants, delivering a significant setback to those individuals and their families. This ruling is considered a major victory for the states challenging the policy and may keep the program blocked through President Biden's final months in office.