In a surprising turn of events, a federal judge has dismissed a Texas lawsuit against a Biden administration policy that allows migrants from certain nationalities to fly to the United States if they have US sponsors. The lawsuit focused on a parole program that permits migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to apply to come to the US and temporarily live in the country if approved.
The policy, which allows up to 30,000 migrants from these four countries to come to the US each month, has seen over 386,000 people of those nationalities arrive in the country since its launch more than a year ago. Officials have credited the policy for driving down border crossings of those nationalities by providing a legal pathway to the country.
However, Republicans have criticized the Biden administration’s use of parole, arguing that it exceeds the administration’s authority and have ramped up their attacks on President Joe Biden’s immigration agenda. Despite these criticisms, US District Judge Drew B. Tipton, appointed by former President Donald Trump, dismissed the Texas lawsuit for failing to establish how the state was harmed by the program.
The White House welcomed the ruling and reiterated its call for Congress to pass a stalled border security deal. Supporters of the policy celebrated the dismissal, with Monika Langarica, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, calling it a victory for the 1.5 million people who have sponsored loved ones under the program.
Texas state officials have filed multiple legal challenges against the Biden administration over immigration and the handling of the US-Mexico border. In a separate suit, Tipton ruled in favor of Texas and Mississippi, blocking the Biden administration from using funding allocated by Congress for a border wall for other purposes. The preliminary injunction is paused for seven days to allow time for an appeal.
This story is developing, and CNN will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.