MIAMI – A recent federal ruling has left many South Florida families, particularly those with undocumented spouses, facing an uncertain future.
U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker recently struck down the Biden administration‘s “Parole in Place” (PIP) program, a policy that allowed undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens to apply for legal residency without needing to leave the United States.
CBS News Miami spoke with Maruxa Cardenas from Miami-Dade, whose husband, Jose, has been affected by the ruling.
The couple, married for 15 years, had been waiting on a final decision in his case after receiving initial approvals. Now, they find themselves in limbo.
“It brought back a lot of emotions for both of us,” Cardenas said. “There’s always the fear, like every undocumented person who lives without a legal status.”
Immigration attorney Morella Aguado explained that the Biden administration could potentially appeal the decision, but it remains unclear if it will. If the ruling stands without appeal, the program will be permanently canceled.
For individuals like Jose, who were still awaiting final approval, this decision could mean a much longer and more complex process.
Without PIP, one option involves applying for an I-601A waiver, which allows undocumented spouses to return to their home country for green card processing. However, this waiver alone can take three to four years to process, with significant waiting time for families.
Cardenas is weighing her options, which could include relocating to another country to escape the uncertainty surrounding her husband’s immigration status.
“Why do I have to move to another country to avoid living in fear?” she asked.
For those who had already begun gathering paperwork or were planning to apply, Aguado emphasized that alternatives must now be considered quickly, as the Parole in Place program is no longer available.
