Immigrant families in limbo after judge puts U.S. program for spouses on hold

By NewsPress Now

McALLEN, Texas | After President Joe Biden this summer announced a new U.S. citizenship pathway for immigrant spouses, Oscar Silva rushed to apply and was elated Monday when an email arrived confirming his appointment for a required biometric exam.

But hours later, Silva received a jolt: a federal judge in Texas was temporarily suspending the program that could benefit an estimated 500,000 immigrants in the U.S., freezing in place one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years.

“I don’t know what is going to happen,” Silva said Tuesday. The 23-year-old college student arrived in the U.S. as a baby and lives in Texas with his wife, Natalie, an American citizen who provides for their family as a high school teacher.

Although the Biden administration’s “Keeping Families Together” program only began accepting applications last week, families and immigration attorneys say confusion, uncertainty and frustration is already mounting following the order by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker. Couples who already applied say they are in limbo and those who haven’t yet must weigh whether to wait for Republicans’ court challenge over the program to play out.

Applicants must pay a $580 processing fee. Following Barker’s order, the Florida Immigrant Coalition said it was asking people “to weigh their options and to make the best decision for their families at this time.”

The court order followed a challenge by 16 states, led by Republican attorneys general, who filed a federal lawsuit days after the program began taking applications on Aug. 19. Barker’s order, known as an administrative stay, will be in place for 14 days but could be extended.

— From AP reports