On Thursday, a federal judge struck down the Biden administration’s executive order known as “parole in place,” which aimed to provide legal status to undocumented individuals married to American citizens. This order was designed to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation while they pursued a green card for permanent residency.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that over two-thirds of non-citizens married to U.S. citizens are currently in the country without proper admission or parole, making them ineligible for status adjustment. Through the “Keeping Families Together” initiative, it was projected that around 500,000 non-citizen spouses and 50,000 non-citizen stepchildren could have qualified for this relief.
President Joe Biden signed the order in June of this year. However, just days before its implementation in August, the order was paused by federal judge J. Campbell Barker from the U.S. District Court in Texas, following a lawsuit joined by 15 Republican-led states. In a 74-page opinion, Barker argued that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in implementing this program and altered the legal interpretation of immigration law significantly.
Stating his concerns, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, one of the plaintiffs in the case, remarked, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris created a crisis at the southern border, and the American people have had to face the consequences. With the federal government’s refusal to act, states like Missouri had no choice but to step in and take measures to protect our southern border.” He highlighted that the lawsuit was necessary to prevent millions of undocumented individuals from infiltrating their communities.
The premature cancellation of this initiative, which was initially intended to keep families together, is expected to be overturned once the reelected President Donald Trump takes office again in January of next year. The cancellation of the program, along with proposals for mass deportations and the potential repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), leaves the immigrant community in a state of uncertainty.
While this ruling represents a setback for many, it is important to remain hopeful that future legislative efforts may address the needs of undocumented immigrants and provide them with a pathway to legal status. Advocacy for reform continues, and many within the immigrant community hold on to the belief that a more compassionate and equitable approach to immigration policy is on the horizon.
For further details, you may contact reporter Paula Soria via email at psoriaaguilar@gannett.com or on X @paula_soriaa.