Once again Texas leaders have filed a lawsuit challenging federal immigration policy, going back to a xenophobic and politically motivated toolkit that does nothing to help people fleeing persecution or the communities along the border that are receiving the influx of migrants.

The President recently announced policies to admit 30,000 migrants each month from Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua on a temporary basis. During this period they would be eligible to apply for long-term immigration status and be able to work lawfully for up to two years. They would need to apply from abroad and identify someone to support them economically in the U.S. 

At American Gateways we don’t see the Biden Administration policy as a magic solution. Certainly, the policy places an almost impossible burden on some of the most vulnerable who deserve the opportunity to seek protection under our asylum laws. Moreover, the policy places a higher burden on individuals of certain nationalities, which violates both U.S. immigration law and the 1951 Refugee Convention.

But filing repeated lawsuits without offering sympathetic, holistic solutions won’t get us anywhere. Endless litigation only breeds more confusion and inefficiency within our system. It prevents us from having a healthy policy debate about how to improve the overwhelmed asylum system and live up to our legacy as a country that has given refuge to the most vulnerable.

We encourage state and federal leaders to show compassion and adopt solutions that honor people’s lives and support those fleeing persecution.