Ahead of Debate, Nevada Leaders Condemn GOP Lawsuit Against Keeping Families Together Program

WASHINGTON, DC –  Nevada leaders, including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and lawmakers from the Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Nevada Legislative Caucus, are strongly condemning a GOP-led lawsuit challenging the Biden-Harris administration’s “Keep Families Together” program. The program, which Senator Cortez Masto called a “gamechanger” for Nevada families,” would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens. Recent polling demonstrates that 59% of battleground voters, including 73% of Hispanic voters, support the program.

As a result of the legal challenge, the program is currently on hold, throwing the lives of Nevada’s estimated 22,000 undocumented individuals married to U.S. citizens back into legal limbo. Ahead of tomorrow’s debate, the GOP lawsuit adds yet another proof point of the party’s willingness to separate American families from one another. Just last week, Republican Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance continued to deny that the GOP immigration agenda would reinstate the infamous zero tolerance policy that tore over 5,000 children from their parents.

Read the statements below:

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV):

“I’ve consistently pushed the Biden-Harris administration to take executive action to secure our border and to protect hardworking mixed-status families – and in June they did both. I was thrilled to see the administration take critical steps to help keep our immigrant families together. I have full confidence in this process, which is a gamechanger for so many families in Nevada. While I’m deeply disappointed in the Texas court ruling, I’m not giving up. I’m going to keep working to deliver the relief our families deserve.”

Nevada Hispanic Legislative Caucus:

“The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus condemns the lawsuit initiated by sixteen Republican-led states aimed at dismantling a federal policy that could grant legal status to nearly half a million immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens. This lawsuit is a blatant attack on American families. Rather than undermining policies that prioritize family unity, we call on these states to work towards a more inclusive and equitable immigration system that reflects our nation’s values.”

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Caucus:

“We strongly oppose the actions of the GOP states attempting to dismantle a federal initiative designed to keep families together by offering legal status to immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens. This lawsuit is not just a political maneuver; it is a direct attack on American principles and the core values of family unity. We urge these states to reconsider their stance and instead support efforts that promote stability and compassion in our immigration system.”

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