Supreme Court Refuses to Block Texas Agreement Ending Immigration Case Holds
The high court denied a request from three cities to intervene in a dispute over a Biden-era rule that allowed judges to pause deportation proceedings.
By Rafael Collins ·
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to intervene in a legal fight over a federal immigration rule. The decision leaves in place a court order that blocks a Biden-era regulation permitting immigration judges to suspend certain deportation cases.
The rule, known as administrative closing, allowed judges to pause proceedings for victims of crimes and unaccompanied minors. Texas and the Trump administration reached an agreement to block the rule after the state filed a lawsuit. Texas argued that the practice expanded significantly under President Joe Biden, effectively allowing people to remain in the country indefinitely.
Democratic-led cities of Baltimore, Columbus, Ohio, and New Haven, Connecticut, sought to join the case to defend the regulation. They were joined by the law firm Centro Legal de la Raza. After a lower court judge denied their request to intervene, the group filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court.
Represented by Democracy Forward, the cities argued that Texas and the federal government worked together to permanently block the rule through the courts. They claimed this approach bypassed the public rulemaking process.
The Justice Department asked the justices to reject the petition. The department stated that the cities lacked standing to challenge the agreement and failed to show they would suffer immediate legal harm.
