A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens.
The program, lauded as one of the biggest presidential actions to help immigrant families in years, allowed undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country.
The temporary relief from deportation brought a brief sense of security to some 500,000 immigrants estimated to benefit from the program before Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker put it on hold in August, days after applicants filed their paperwork.
Barker ruled Thursday that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the program and had stretched the legal interpretation of relevant immigration law “past its breaking point.”
The short-lived Biden administration initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” would have been unlikely to remain in place after Donald Trump took office in January. But its early termination creates greater uncertainty for immigrant families as many are bracing for Trump's return to the White House.
Trump's election victory this week sets the stage for a swift crackdown on undocumented individuals after the Republican ran on promises of “mass deportation.” The president-elect energized his supporters on the campaign trail with a litany of anti-immigrant statements, including that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the nation.
During his first term, Trump appointed Barker 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.
Barker had placed the immigration initiative on hold after Texas and 15 other states, led by their Republican attorneys general, filed a legal challenge accusing the executive branch of bypassing Congress to help immigrant families for “blatant political purposes.”
Republicans argued the initiative created costs for their states and could draw more migrants to the U.S.
The policy would have applied to people who have been living continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, do not pose a security threat and have utilized the existing legal authority known as “parole in place” that offers deportation protections.
Those married to a citizen by June 17, the day before the program was announced, could pay a $580 application fee and fill out a lengthy application explaining why they deserve humanitarian parole. If approved, applicants would have three years to seek permanent residency and obtain work authorization.
It was not immediately clear Thursday whether anyone had received approval under the program, which only accepted applications for about a week before the judge placed it on hold.
Noncitizen spouses are already eligible for legal status but often have to apply from their home countries. The process typically includes a years-long wait outside of the U.S., which can separate family members with different immigration statuses.
FILE - President Joe Biden talks with the U.S. Border Patrol and local officials, as he looks over the southern border, Feb. 29, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas, along the Rio Grande. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Fast bowler Haris Rauf took 5-29 and Saim Ayub scored 82 runs as Pakistan defeated Australia by nine wickets in the second one-day international on Friday.
Australia was 163 all out in 35 overs against Rauf’s relentless pace and left-hander Ayub smashed six sixes and five fours as Pakistan cruised to 169-1 in 26.3 overs to level the three-match series.
Former captain Babar Azam (15 not out) clinched the victory with a pulled six off Adam Zampa with Abdullah Shafique staying unbeaten on better than run-a-ball 64 which featured four boundaries and three sixes.
The series decider will be played at Perth on Sunday with Australia resting five frontline players to prepare for the five-match home test series against India, starting from Nov. 22 at Perth.
The opening pair of Ayub and Shafique had been criticized for run of low scores in test matches, but both blunted the Australian pace with a match-winning stand of 137 runs after Pakistan kept faith on the duo in the white-ball format.
Ayub took his time against Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc before he grew in confidence and flicked Pat Cummins, Starc and Aaron Hardie for sixes and also smashed Zampa for two big hits.
The left-hander, who made his ODI debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday, got a reprieve just before reaching a half century when Zampa dropped a sitter at third man, but he offered a tame catch at short third man just when he looked set for a century.
Earlier, Rauf, who nearly pulled off a victory for Pakistan in the first game, found the outside edges of the bats consistently by hitting the right lengths.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan took five catches — four off Rauf’s bowling — and could have had a sixth had he not dropped a top-edge off Zampa (18) before Australia was dismissed after Pakistan won the toss and elected to field on a lively Adelaide wicket.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26) provided the breakthrough inside the first power play. Jake Fraser-McGurk hit three crisp boundaries on the off side in Naseem Shah’s first over to get Australia rolling before Afridi’s twin strike pushed back Australia.
Afridi dropped Matt Short at deep fine leg when the ball burst through his hands to the boundary but the left-arm fast bowler made amends when he had Short caught at covers after trapping Fraser-McGurk plumb leg before wicket.
Afridi ended Australia’s below-par innings when Zampa played a full ball back onto his stumps. Zampa flicked Naseem Shah for a six and a four in an over which enabled the home team to cross the 150-run mark.
Rauf sliced through the middle-order with only Steve Smith scoring 35 off 48 balls before he too chased a wide short ball of Mohammad Hasnain and edged behind the wicket.
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood replaced Sean Abbott in the only change Australia made from the team which edged Pakistan in the first game.
Starc, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cummins and Hazlewood all will be rested for the final game of the series on Sunday. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was named interim captain for the last ODI at Perth.
Inglis will also lead the side in next week’s three T20s against Pakistan with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head away on paternity leave.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan drops a catch against Australia during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Josh Inglis a hits an edge and is caught out by Pakistan's captain Mohammad Rizwan off the bowling of Pakistan's Haris Rauf during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Glenn Maxwell chops onto his stumps off the bowling of Pakistan's Haris Rauf during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Pakistan's Naseem Shah, center, is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of Australia's Mitchell Starc during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Glenn Maxwell bats against Pakistan during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Pakistan's Haris Rauf, left, celebrates taking the wicket of Australia's Aaron Hardie, right, during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Pakistan's Haris Rauf jumps in air as he celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Josh Inglis during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Pakistan's Haris Rauf, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Australia's Marnus Labuschagne during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Pakistan's Haris Rauf, left, celebrates the wicket of Australia's Glenn Maxwell during their one day international cricket match in Melbourne, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Australia's not-out batters Pat Cummins, right, and Mitchell Starc walk off the ground after their win over Pakistan during their one day international cricket match in Melbourne, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
