U.S. District Court Judge Drew Tipton extended a temporary restraining order, suspending President Biden’s deportation hold by another 14 days. The suspension will remain in effect until February 23.
The federal judge ruled that the federal government must consult Texas before making any immigration enforcement changes, adding that Texas would face more harm than the federal government if the extension wasn’t granted.
The Biden administration argued that a 100-day pause of deportations is necessary to allow the White House to consider making changes to immigration and foreign policy.
The temporary restraining order was originally put in place last month after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration, alleging that Biden’s policy violated an agreement made between Texas and the Trump administration requiring the federal government to notify Texas 180 days before making changes to immigration enforcement.
Paxton’s lawsuit stated, “On its first day in office, the Biden Administration cast aside congressionally enacted immigration laws and suspended the removal of illegal aliens whose removal is compelled by those very laws. In doing so, it ignored basic constitutional principles and violated its written pledge to work cooperatively with the State of Texas to address shared immigration enforcement concerns. This unlawful reversal will cause Texas immediate and irreparable harm if it is not enjoined.”
