America is not a country that tears families apart.
That’s why in June, my Administration announced new measures to keep American families from leaving. These couples (one spouse is a U.S. citizen, the other has lived in the U.S. for more than a decade) include our neighbors who have worked, raised their families, paid our taxes, worshiped with us, and sent their children to school. They have become our friends, neighbors, and coworkers. They are the parents of our children’s best friends. They have become invaluable contributors to our communities. They make our country better. Nothing I have done has changed the requirements people must meet to adjust their status under immigration law. All I have done is made it possible for these long-term residents to file their paperwork with their families. But without a “keep families from leaving” process, U.S. citizen spouses would no longer be able to stay in the U.S. while they obtain the long-term legal status to which they are already entitled. They would be forced to choose between leaving their families behind in the U.S. or living in hiding, with the constant fear of deportation.
Last night, a district court in Texas ruled that our efforts to keep families together must stop. This ruling is wrong. These families should not be needlessly separated. They deserve to be kept together, and my Administration will not stop fighting for them.
I have no interest in playing politics on the border or immigration. I’m interested in solving problems. I have no interest in tearing families apart. 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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