Federal judge grants extension of block on Biden admin's 100-day deportation pause

A federal judge on Tuesday extended a block against the Biden administration's 100-day pause on most deportations until Feb. 23.

The two-week extension comes after a temporary restraining order was issued in late January regarding the removal freeze.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary David Pekoske wrote in a January 20 memo that he was "directing an immediate pause on removals of any noncitizen with a final order of removal (except as noted below) for 100 days to go into effect as soon as practical and no later than January 22, 2021." Those who had arrived in the U.S. on or after November 1, 2020 were among those to whom the removal pause would not apply, according to the memo.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in January sued the Biden administration over the deportation moratorium. 

"In one of its first of dozens of steps that harm Texas and the nation as a whole, the Biden administration directed DHS to violate federal immigration law and breach an agreement to consult and cooperate with Texas on that law. Our state defends the largest section of the southern border in the nation. Failure to properly enforce the law will directly and immediately endanger our citizens and law enforcement personnel," Paxton said in a statement. "DHS itself has previously acknowledged that such a freeze on deportations will cause concrete injuries to Texas. I am confident that these unlawful and perilous actions cannot stand. The rule of law and security of our citizens must prevail."