Sixteen Republican-led states are suing the Biden administration over a program that would grant legal residency status to roughly half a million migrants, arguing it violates federal law.
The so-called “parole in place” program was announced in June and would give legal pathways to citizenship to illegal immigrants married to U.S. citizens and who have also been in the country for at least 10 years.
Led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the lawsuit argues Biden’s program not only is unconstitutional but also “rewards illegal immigration” and would “cause quantifiable financial harm” to the states.
The White House has responded to the lawsuit, claiming it aims to separate families and “goes against our nation’s values.”