Texas and a coalition of Republican-led states filed a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday over a new program that provides a path to citizenship for immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally and are married to U.S. citizens.
The lawsuit contends that the program, which started accepting applications on Monday, exceeds the administration’s authority and undermines the purpose of U.S. immigration laws.
The initiative, known as Keeping Families Together, aims to grant citizenship to an estimated 500,000 immigrant spouses who entered the U.S. illegally and have resided here for at least 10 years. Without this option, many would face years of separation from their families before being able to return legally.
Republicans have highlighted illegal immigration as a key issue in the upcoming presidential election on November 5.
