A federal judge is blocking President Biden's plan to halt deportations for 100 days.
U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton ruled against the plan late Tuesday night, saying the Department of Homeland Security failed to provide any reasonable justification for the pause. President Biden had promised during the campaign to halt deportations briefly and delivered on that promise during his first day in office. Judge Tipton, who was appointed by former President Trump, said Texas' attorney general proved the state would be harmed financially by the pause in deportations. The ruling applies to all states, not just Texas.
Biden proposed the 100-day pause on deportations during his campaign as part of a larger review of immigration enforcement and an attempt to reverse the priorities of former President Donald Trump. Biden has proposed a sweeping immigration bill that would allow the legalization of an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally. He has also instituted other guidelines on whom immigration and border agents should target for enforcement.
Tipton's ruling does not require deportations to resume at their previous pace. Even without a moratorium, immigration agencies have wide latitude in enforcing removals and processing cases. It was not immediately clear if the Biden administration will appeal Tipton's ruling. The Justice Department did not seek a stay of Tipton's earlier temporary restraining order.
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