Despite Republican-led states' appeal, a federal judge on Friday upheld the Biden administration's humanitarian program for a limited number of migrants from four nations.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton said Texas and 20 other states had not proved financial harm from the humanitarian parole program, which admits up to 30,000 asylum-seekers from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela each month. The states needed to prove that to sue.
“In reaching this conclusion, the Court does not address the lawfulness of the Program,” Tipton wrote.
Eliminating the program would undermine a strategy that encourages migrants to follow the Biden administration's preferred U.S. entry routes or risk harsh penalties.
Texas, among other states, claimed the program forces them to spend millions for migrant health care, education, and public safety. The Texas attorney general's legal challenge attorney stated the initiative “created a shadow immigration system.”
White House spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández said the district court's decision was based on the program's success, which has expanded lawful pathways for nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who have a sponsor in this country and pass our rigorous vetting process while dramatically reducing their number crossing our Southwest Border.
The Texas Attorney General's Office did not respond to requests for comment. Texas and the other states may appeal. Since fall 2022, around 357,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans have been given parole and allowed to enter the nation through January. Haitians have used the program the most, with 138,000, followed by Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans.
Foreigners must apply online, arrive at an airport, and have a U.S. financial sponsor. A work permit and two-year stay are granted if authorized.
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