Biden Parole Update - Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals - Sept. 18, 2024
As of September 18, 2024, the Keeping Families Together (Biden Parole-in-Place) is still accepting applications, but approvals are stayed (paused) until at least October 10, 2024, when the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will resolve a motion to intervene filed by individuals who seek to join in the lawsuit in favor of the program.
Here’s the history of the program so far:
6/18/2024 - as multiple news outlets have already reported, President Joe Biden announced that the White House will issue an executive order to provide a streamlined path to temporary work authorization and permanent residence for certain immigrants, to be called Keeping Families Together (aka Biden Parole).
8/19/2024 - the Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications for the Biden Parole-in-Place program.
8/23/2024 - 16 Republican states, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, filed a lawsuit against the program, because apparently the Republican Party does not want to make our federal government more efficient.
8/26/2024 - Eastern District of Texas Judge J. Campbell Barker issued an administrative stay on the program.
8/26/2024 - a group of individuals seeking benefits under the Biden program filed a motion to intervene (join) in the lawsuit filed by the Republican attorneys general who challenged the program in the Eastern District of Texas court case, Texas et. al. vs. DHS et. al., Case No. 6:24-cv-00306 (E.D. Tex.).
9/3/2024 - the Texas judge denied the motion to intervene, so the intervening parties appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
9/11/2024 - the Fifth Circuit ordered (told) the Texas district court to pause proceedings until the Fifth Circuit resolves the motion to intervene appeal.
10/10/2024 - the Fifth Circuit will hear the appeal of the intervenors.
Note that the rules of the Biden Parole program do not create a new pathway to citizenship; they simply reduce bureaucratic red tape that causes U.S. government agencies to duplicate their efforts, resulting in many years of life waiting simply on final decisions for benefits that the applicants already qualify for. While the republicans claim that the Biden administration’s parole program is for “blatant” political purposes, it is clear that this lawsuit is the blatantly political stunt. This is a good, narrowly-tailored program that does not create new benefits. It simply streamlines a process already in existence.
To read more about eligibility for the Keeping Families Together (Biden parole) program, read here.
If you want to make an appointment to speak with an attorney to see if you qualify, click here or on the appointment link below.
