MCALLEN, Texas — In a surprising ruling, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Texas against a Biden administration policy that allows migrants from certain countries to fly to the United States if they have American sponsors. The lawsuit specifically targeted a parole program that permits migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to temporarily live in the US if approved. Launched over a year ago, the program allows up to 30,000 migrants from these four countries to enter the US on a monthly basis.
The policy has been praised by officials for reducing border crossings by providing a legal pathway to the country for these nationalities. However, Republicans have criticized the broad use of parole by the Biden administration, viewing it as an overreach in their efforts to challenge President Joe Biden’s immigration agenda.
Judge Drew B. Tipton, in his ruling on Friday, rejected the challenge brought forth by Texas and other Republican-led states. Tipton explained that Texas did not suffer any financial harm from the parole program, rendering the plaintiff’s theory of injury-in-fact ineffective.
“In this case, those expenditures declined subsequent to the implementation of the CHNV Parole Program, and the Court has before it a case in which Plaintiffs claim that they have been injured by a program that has actually lowered their out-of-pocket costs,” Tipton concluded.
The dismissal of the lawsuit highlights the ongoing legal battles surrounding immigration policies in the United States. As the Biden administration continues to face resistance from Republican-led states, the future of these parole programs remains uncertain. This ruling serves as a setback for Texas and other states seeking to challenge the administration’s approach to immigration. The debate surrounding immigration policies is likely to continue amid a rapidly changing landscape at the US-Mexico border.