New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday led a coalition of 20 attorneys general today in filing an amicus brief in Texas v. DHS, backing the federal "Keeping Families Together" program, which enables certain undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residence.
The brief, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, argues that federal authority allows the implementation of programs that protect family unity, according to a press release.
Attorney General James and the coalition argue that family unity has long been a core principle of U.S. immigration policy, benefiting not only families but also the communities and local economies in which they reside.
Attorneys general from 19 other states and the District of Columbia joined James in filing the brief, including those from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
“Tearing families apart because of their immigration status is incredibly cruel,” Attorney General James said. "The Keeping Families Together program offers mixed-status families a path to citizenship without having to worry about being separated. It is a common-sense policy and that is why I am leading a coalition of attorneys general to support this program and help mixed-status families in New York and around the country.”
The Keeping Families Together program, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in August 2024, allows certain undocumented family members of U.S. citizens to apply for immigration parole and pursue permanent residence without first leaving the U.S.
In the brief, the coalition argues that federal authority over immigration policy encompasses the right to establish parole-in-place programs like Keeping Families Together, noting that similar programs have been implemented over the years to preserve family unity.
