Tue Nov 12 23:05:26 UTC 2024: ## Texas Judge Strikes Down Biden Administration Program for Undocumented Spouses
**[City, TX] – November 7, 2024** – A federal judge in Texas has struck down a new Biden administration program designed to provide a path to U.S. citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants married to American citizens.
The program, known as “Keeping Families Together” (KFT), aimed to grant “parole in place” to undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens, allowing them to remain in the country and apply for lawful permanent residence (LPR) without having to depart and wait abroad for an extended period.
However, U.S. District Judge Barker Campbell ruled that the program exceeded the statutory authority granted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Judge Barker Campbell’s decision hinges on the interpretation of the phrase “parole into the United States” in the INA. The judge found that the phrase refers to a physical entry into the country and does not authorize the DHS to grant “parole in place” to individuals already residing in the U.S. unlawfully.
The judge also ruled that the program improperly identified family unity as a “significant public benefit” for granting parole, arguing that the public benefit must arise from an alien’s physical entry into the U.S., not just from changing their legal status.
This decision is a major setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to provide relief to undocumented immigrants with strong ties to the U.S. It remains to be seen whether the administration will appeal the ruling.
The ruling has been welcomed by groups advocating for stricter immigration policies, who argue that the KFT program would have encouraged further illegal immigration. However, advocates for undocumented immigrants are disappointed by the decision, stating that it will harm families and create further uncertainty for undocumented individuals.
First Piper 