In a significant blow to the Biden administration, a federal judge has struck down a program that would have granted legal status and a streamlined path to U.S. citizenship for unauthorized immigrants married to American citizens. U.S. District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker, appointed by former President Donald Trump, ruled that the program, known as Keeping Families Together, violates U.S. immigration law. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by Texas and several other Republican-led states.
The Biden administration had introduced the Keeping Families Together initiative as a way to promote family unity among mixed-status households. The program was expected to benefit around half a million undocumented immigrants who were married to American citizens. It would have provided work permits, deportation protections, and the opportunity to apply for permanent residency, also known as a green card, after living in the U.S. for at least 10 years without committing serious crimes.
Under the program, eligible immigrants would have been able to apply for a green card without having to leave the country by receiving an immigration benefit known as parole, which would negate their illegal entry into the U.S. However, Judge Barker ruled that the Biden administration did not have the legal authority to grant parole to unauthorized immigrants who are already in the country.
The ruling represents a setback for the Biden administration’s immigration policies, which have faced strong opposition from conservative states and lawmakers. President Trump, who has vowed to dismantle President Biden’s immigration initiatives, is expected to focus on tightening border security and increasing deportations when he takes office.
The decision to strike down the Keeping Families Together program comes just months after President Biden took executive action to restrict asylum along the U.S.-Mexico border. The program was seen as a way to provide relief to undocumented immigrants who have long been living in the shadows and facing uncertainty about their immigration status.
While the Justice Department has the option to appeal the ruling, the future of the Keeping Families Together program remains uncertain. The incoming Trump administration is likely to take a hardline stance on immigration and may seek to implement stricter policies to curb illegal immigration.
Representatives for the White House and the Department of Homeland Security have not yet commented on the ruling. The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications for the immigrant community and could impact the lives of thousands of individuals who were hoping to gain legal status through the program.
It remains to be seen how the Biden administration will respond to the ruling and whether they will seek alternative avenues to address the needs of undocumented immigrants in the future. As the debate over immigration policy continues to intensify, the fate of programs like Keeping Families Together hangs in the balance, leaving many families in limbo and uncertain about their future in the United States.
