A federal judge granted permission to the Biden administration to continue a program granting temporary legal status to thousands of individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Alternative for migrants
This program, referred to as humanitarian parole, provides an alternative for people from these countries to avoid entering the United States unlawfully. It is also a component of the administration’s strategy to manage the influx of migrants at the U.S. southern border.
Texas and other Republican-led states had sued to halt the parole program. However, Judge Drew B. Tipton of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled in favor of the administration, stating that the states failed to prove they had standing on any of their claims.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating that the program is crucial in addressing the migration challenges across the hemisphere.
The ruling deals a setback to Texas, which has initiated several lawsuits against the Biden administration.
The states involved in the lawsuit argued that the program imposed additional costs on them for healthcare, education, and law enforcement. They also claimed that the Biden administration was encouraging illegal immigration.
Despite the overall high levels of migrant crossings, the number of unlawful crossings by nationals from countries in the program has declined. The judge concluded that the states could not demonstrate harm from a program that led to a reduction in border crossings.
Texas is expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the case may ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court, according to experts.
Monika Y. Langarica, senior staff attorney for the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the U.C.L.A. School of Law, described the decision as a victory for individuals who sponsor their loved ones under this program and a rejection of Texas’ attempt to dictate immigration policy for the entire country.
Cover Photo: Depositphotos
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