America is not a country that tears families apart.
That’s why, in June, my administration announced new action to keep American families together. These married couples – one spouse is a US citizen, the other has lived in the US for 10 years or more – are our neighbors who work, raise their families, pay taxes, worship with us and send their children. to school. They have become our friends, neighbors and colleagues. They are parents to our child’s best friends. They have become invaluable contributors to our communities. They make us a better country. I have not changed the requirements that people must meet to adjust their status under immigration law. All I have done is make it possible for these long-term residents to file documents here with their families. But without the family reunification process, spouses of U.S. citizens would not be able to stay in the U.S. and receive the long-term legal status they already qualify for. They will be forced to leave their families in the US or live in the shadows for fear of deportation.
Last night, a district court in Texas ruled that our work to keep families together must end. That judgment is wrong. These families should not be separated unnecessarily. They must stay together and my administration will not stop fighting for them.
I am not interested in playing politics with borders or immigration; I am interested in solving problems. I am not interested in separating families. Not so us Americans. I will continue to fight to protect our border and fix our broken immigration system.
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