The Biden-Harris administration suffered a landslide defeat in federal court Thursday in its fight to grant amnesty to up to 500,000 illegal immigrants living in the United States.
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas said President Joe Biden's executive order that sought to provide a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who married American citizens is illegal. ruled on thursday. Biden's order, first announced over the summer, was challenged by the Texas attorney general and other Republican-led states. (Related: Biden-Harris administration reportedly preparing for potential border surge before President Trump is sworn in)
“From its inception, the Biden-Harris Administration has been dedicated to destroying our immigration system and dismantling our borders.” said Gene Hamilton is executive director of America First Legal, a conservative group that led the court challenge to the order. “Many times the state stood up.
“And today, the great state of Texas and brave Ken Paxton, along with a coalition of other brave attorneys general, will grant amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, paving the way for the largest administration ever.” “We succeeded in stopping an illegal program that was a major milestone in American history,” Hamilton continued. “We are proud to stand with these patriots in defense of our great country.”
El Florido, Guatemala – January 16: Migrants enter Guatemala after breaking through a police barricade at a border crossing in El Florido, Guatemala, on January 16, 2021. (Photo by Josué Decabelle/Getty Images)
Biden first announced the executive order in June at a White House event commemorating the 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the last major amnesty program launched by the federal government. The order, called the Keep Families Together Program, allowed illegal immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens to apply for legal permanent resident status without first leaving the country, the newspaper's fact sheet said. revealed. plan Released by the administration.
Under current law, illegal immigrants can apply for legal status after marrying a U.S. citizen, but they must leave the country to proceed. But Biden's order expands the statutory authority known as “parole,” which allows noncitizens to remain in the country while awaiting their applications.
According to the plan, undocumented immigrants approved to participate in the program would not only be granted legal permanent residence and work permits, but also a path to citizenship. The White House had anticipated this order. influence America First Legal estimates that there are as many as 500,000 illegal immigrants. more 1 million illegal immigrants.
In August, America First Legal partnered with Texas and Idaho, as well as a coalition of 14 state attorneys general, to file a lawsuit against the Biden-Harris administration seeking to block the pardon order. Later that month, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas suspended the plan, but Biden vowed to keep fighting.
On Thursday, the court finally ruled that the Department of Homeland Security lacked legal authority to carry out the order.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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