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Judge Temporarily Stays Biden Parole in Place Program

CBS News reports that a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked the Biden administration from granting parole in place  to unauthorized immigrants married to U.S. citizens.  District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker issued the order.in a lawsuit by 16 Republican-led states who challenged the new policy.

As NPR explains, “Barker was appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2019 as a judge in Tyler, Texas, which lies in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a favored venue for advocates pushing conservative arguments.

The judge laid out a timetable that could produce a decision shortly before the presidential election Nov. 5 or before a newly elected president takes office in January. Barker gave both sides until Oct. 10 to file briefs in the case.”

The ruling has drawn criticism from immigrant right advocates. 

FWD.us President Todd Schulte released the following statement in response to the district court’s issuance of an administrative stay to halt the implementation of the parole in place policy:

“Tonight’s decision is deeply disappointing. This is an unsound and devastating blow to hundreds of thousands of American families across the country who are now thrown back into fear and uncertainty that their loved ones will be cruelly separated from them for years due to outdated immigration laws. While this temporary stay is a significant legal setback, it is critically important to note that tonight’s decision does not prevent the federal government from accepting new applications as this case continues making its way through the courts. 

“The Keeping Families Together Parole in Place program was crafted with the express purpose of supporting families who have built their lives in this country for an average of a quarter century. By barring its implementation after the program is already functional, the court has chosen to side with those who seek to sow fear and division rather than uphold the principles of justice and family unity.

“This is a politically-driven lawsuit that we believe will ultimately be defeated – the Keeping Families Together program is in full compliance with immigration law, with some of the most prominent anti-immigrant think tanks acknowledging Congress authorized the usage of parole in place for family unity. FWD.us will continue to fight for the rights of immigrant and American families and work tirelessly to ensure that this harmful decision is reversed. We stand with the hundreds of thousands of American families whose lives are at stake, and we will not rest until this vital program is fully implemented.”

Download KFT PIP Texas Stay Order

KJ

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