Statement by President Joe Biden on the District Court’s Order Regarding the Biden-Harris Administration’s Actions to Keep Families Together

America is not a country that tears families apart.

That’s why in June, my Administration announced new measures to keep American families together. These married couples—one spouse is an American citizen and the other has lived in the United States for a decade or more—are our neighbors who work, raise their children, pay taxes, worship with us, and send their children to school. They have become our friends, our neighbors, and our coworkers. They are the parents of our children’s best friends. They have become invaluable contributors to our communities. They make us a better country. Nothing I have done has changed the requirements that people must meet to adjust their status under immigration law. All I have done is make it possible for these longtime residents to file paperwork here—with their families. But without the process to keep families together, spouses of American citizens will not be able to stay in the United States while they wait to obtain the long-term legal status to which they are already entitled. They will be forced to either leave their families behind in the United States or live in the shadows in constant fear of being deported.

Last night, a Texas district court ruled that our efforts to keep families together must end. That decision is wrong. These families should not be separated unnecessarily. They should be able to stay together, and my administration will not stop fighting for them.

I’m not looking to play politics with the border or immigration; I’m looking to solve problems. I’m not looking to separate families. That’s not who we are as Americans. I will continue to fight to secure our border and fix our broken immigration system.

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