A federal judge in Texas dismissed a lawsuit filed by 21 Republican-led states challenging the Biden administration’s parole program, which permits migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to apply for emergency entry into the United States.
U.S. District Court Judge Drew Tipton ruled that the states lacked the legal standing to pursue the case, as they couldn’t demonstrate any harm caused by the program, which has facilitated the entry of over 234,000 individuals as of November 2023. The initiative requires migrants to have a U.S. sponsor and enter the country via air travel.
Judge Tipton highlighted a significant decrease in illegal entries from the four countries since the program’s implementation, suggesting its effectiveness. However, he refrained from addressing the lawsuit’s merits, which assert that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) exceeded its authority in establishing the program.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised the parole program as a crucial component of the government’s efforts to manage migration across the hemisphere.
The decision received no immediate response from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office. President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to expand legal pathways to deter illegal border crossings, a stance opposed by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump.
While record numbers of migrants have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border during Biden’s presidency, he has attributed the surge to the lack of adequate border funding and enforcement measures.
The states argued that the parole program placed a financial burden on public services, such as law enforcement and emergency medical care. However, Judge Tipton, a Trump appointee, concluded that the program had, in fact, reduced out-of-pocket costs for the plaintiffs.
In a separate ruling, Tipton ordered the Biden administration to cease redirecting $1.4 billion in border wall funds, siding with Texas and Missouri in the matter. The legal battles underscore the ongoing debates surrounding immigration policies and the partisan divisions within the United States.
