A federal judge in Texas blocked a Biden administration rule on Monday that allowed immigration judges to indefinitely close a deportation case against illegal immigrants on the same day Texas sued to stop the rule.

Background of the Rule

The rule, which was adopted in 2024, allowed immigration judges to close a deportation case after hearing arguments from the federal government and the illegal immigrant in deportation proceedings, especially if the person could qualify for a benefit that allows them to stay in the country legally.

But on Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas in Wichita Falls to block the rule with U.S. Judge Reed O’Connor, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

The lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice was also co-filed by America First Legal Foundation, an organization founded by Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to President Trump who has focused on ways to limit both legal and illegal immigration to the country.

Reaction to the Ruling

Immigration law experts criticized the quick resolution to the case, with one calling it “madness” and “deliberate collusion with a federal judge to rapidly erase regulations without any input from affected parties.”

Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.