McALLEN, Texas — In a significant development, a federal judge in Texas has temporarily halted the Biden administration’s new immigration protections that would have facilitated a pathway to citizenship for immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens.
The pause, ordered by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker, comes in response to a lawsuit filed by 16 states, primarily led by Republican attorneys general, which claims that the policy would promote illegal immigration.
Originally announced in June by President Biden, the program has been in effect for just one week, during which the Department of Homeland Security began processing applications.
The ruling imposes a two-week freeze on the initiative while the legal challenges proceed.
Judge Barker noted, “The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date.”
The proposed policy offered a pathway for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens who meet specific criteria to apply for a green card and remain in the United States during the process. Prior to this policy, applicants faced lengthy delays often resulting in family separation.
While the Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the ruling, attorneys representing eligible families indicated that several families had already received notifications regarding their applications.
Advocacy groups emphasize the urgency of the situation, with calls for Texas not to dictate the futures of countless U.S. citizens and their immigrant spouses without acknowledging their realities.
Additionally, the coalition of states involved in the lawsuit accused the administration of circumventing Congress for apparent political motivations.
