A federal judge on Thursday blocked the rules that the Government of Joe Biden had imposed on ICE to prioritize in its arrests those who
have crossed the border recently, who were considered a threat to security and criminals of serious crimes.
Federal Judge Drew Tipton once again ruled against the Administration.
It's
another setback for his immigration agenda
and a victory for Texas and other GOP-led states.
In February, Tipton, a judge in the United States Court for the Southern District of Texas, also blocked a 100-day pause on deportations, one of Biden's campaign promises.
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According to the legal document, Tipton ruled that these policies that direct the priorities of arrest and deportation
violated the mandates of Congress
and that Louisiana and Texas, who filed the lawsuit, were likely to be successful in their claim that the policy violated the U.S. Law of Administrative Procedures (APA).
The Government considers "recent arrivals" as those who have crossed the border since November 1, 2020.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detain a suspect in a police operation in Los Angeles, California, February 7, 2017.Charles Reed / US Immigration and Customs Enforcement via REUTERS / Reuters
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Texas and Louisiana state in the complaint document that the categories of immigrants that are considered a priority by the Government "omit others, such as foreigners convicted of serious drug offenses, foreigners convicted of crimes of moral turpitude, and foreigners. subject to a final order of expulsion. "
Government guidelines did not prevent ICE from arresting or deporting immigrants outside of those categories, but if they were not in those priorities, agents had to request a permit to process them.