Texas is suing Biden for his immigration legalization initiative for spouses of US citizens

Texas is suing Biden for his immigration legalization initiative for spouses of US citizens
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Texas and a group of states led by Republicans filed a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday in relation to a new initiative that provides immigrants who entered the country illegally and are now married to residents of the United States with a route to citizenship.

The lawsuit contends that the program, which started taking applications on Monday, violates the intent of US immigration laws and goes beyond the administration’s jurisdiction to offer assistance to people who lack legal status.

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A road to citizenship is offered by the Keeping Families Together project to an estimated 500,000 immigrant spouses who entered the country illegally and have lived there for at least ten years. Many would have to leave the country for years before being able to return lawfully if they didn’t have this choice.

Republicans have centered the presidential contest on illegal immigration, which will take place on November 5, and pit Republican candidate Donald Trump against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

Texas and fifteen other states with Republican attorneys general were co-counsel in the case, as was America First Legal, a group headed by Trump advisor Stephen Miller.

Miller, who was a major contributor to Trump’s repressive policies from 2017 to 2021, described the Biden program as “brazenly unlawful” in a statement.

Approximately 50,000 children under 21 with a parent who is a citizen of the United States are also able to gain temporary “parole” status through Keeping Families Together, which paves the way for citizenship.

The Texas lawsuit, according to White House spokeswoman Angelo Fernandez Hernandez, “goes against our nation’s values” and aims to split up families.

Texas and the Biden administration have battled in court over immigration and border concerns on several occasions.

In July, a federal appeals court ruled that Texas was permitted to maintain a sizable floating barrier in the Rio Grande River that was designed to prevent migrants from entering the country illegally.

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