The Sconi

Attorney General Josh Kaul has joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the case of Texas v. DHS. The brief supports the federal program "Keeping Families Together," which permits certain undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residence. Filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, the brief argues that the federal government is authorized to implement this program to maintain family unity.

"For very good reasons, our immigration policy strives to keep families together," said Attorney General Kaul. "This federal program, which allows family members to avoid being separated from each other for years, should remain in place."

In August 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced a process under which specific undocumented spouses and stepchildren residing in the United States can apply for a discretionary grant of immigration parole. Known as Keeping Families Together (KFT), this process enables certain undocumented family members to seek permanent residence without leaving the country first.

The coalition contends that the federal government holds authority over immigration parole programs and cites several historical examples of similar programs to support their argument. They emphasize that maintaining family unity is a fundamental aspect of U.S. immigration policy, benefiting families, neighborhoods, communities, and local economies.

Alongside Attorney General Kaul, attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia have also joined in filing this brief.