Texas has become the first state to sue the Biden administration in a dispute over its plan to pause most deportations for the next 100 days, Forbes reports.
On Friday, (January 22), the state's attorney general Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in an attempt to reverse the new administration's freeze on deportations.
The Biden administration's 100-day moratorium freezes the deportation of the majority of immigrants who entered the United States before November and are not thought to be a national security threat.
Watch President Biden deliver his Inaugural Address:Paxton says that the moratorium violates federal law, as well as the contract DHS signed with Texas in the last few weeks of President Donald Trump's presidency.
In the contract, the federal government assured Texas written warning and “veto power over immigration law” for 180 days before bringing about any substantial changes to immigration policy.
Mr. Paxton said in a statement:
“In one of its first of dozens of steps that harm Texas and the nation as a whole, the Biden administration directed DHS to violate federal immigration law and breach an agreement to consult and cooperate with Texas on that law.
“Our state defends the largest section of the southern border in the nation. Failure to properly enforce the law will directly and immediately endanger our citizens and law enforcement personnel.
“DHS itself has previously acknowledged that such a freeze on deportations will cause concrete injuries to Texas. I am confident that these unlawful and perilous actions cannot stand. The rule of law and security of our citizens must prevail.”
The Biden administration announced the 100-day deportation pause on January 20, along with a number of other substantial policy changes.
Another of these policy changes includes a reversal of the 2017 travel ban against majority Muslim countries enacted by the Trump administration.
DHS explained that the deportation freeze will mean that it is able to immediately focus on the most "pressing" matters.
A release for DHS stated:
“For 100 days, starting January 22, 2021, DHS will pause removals for certain noncitizens ordered deported to ensure we have a fair and effective immigration enforcement system focused on protecting national security, border security, and public safety.
“The pause will allow DHS to ensure that its resources are dedicated to responding to the most pressing challenges that the United States faces, including immediate operational challenges at the southwest border in the midst of the most serious global public health crisis in a century.
“Throughout this interim period DHS will continue to enforce our immigration laws.”
