Texas judge suspends Biden immigration reform policy

HOUSTON: A Texas judge has ordered a temporary pause on a policy that would streamline the process for spouses of US citizens to obtain legal status in the country, a blow to one of US President Joe Biden´s biggest immigration reform policies.

Judge J. Campbell Barker granted a 14-day administrative stay on Monday in a case brought by the Republican attorneys general of 16 US states challenging the policy.

In June, Biden announced the new policy, which streamlined a pathway to citizenship for an estimated half a million immigrants married to US nationals.

The 16 states bringing the lawsuit, however, say the policy is costing them millions of dollars in public services -- including healthcare, education and law enforcement -- used by the immigrants.

In a statement Tuesday, Biden called the new ruling “wrong” while promising to “continue to fight to secure our border and fix our broken immigration system.”

Judge Barker wrote in his order that the “claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date.”

“This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose state is party to the case, in a post on social media platform X after the order.

The Biden administration has been struggling to address immigration, a hugely divisive issue for many Americans ahead of November´s presidential election, which will see Vice President Kamala Harris take on Republican Donald Trump.