News
Texas Court Temporarily Blocks Biden’s Immigration Policy for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
A Texas court has issued a temporary halt to a key immigration policy aimed at easing the process for spouses of U.S. citizens to obtain legal status. The ruling marks a significant setback for one of President Joe Biden’s major immigration reform initiatives.
The order, delivered by Judge Campbell Barker, imposes a 14-day administrative stay following a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general from 16 U.S. states.
These states are challenging the legality of the Biden administration’s policy, which was introduced in June to streamline pathways to legal residency for an estimated half a million immigrants married to U.S. citizens.
Biden’s policy sought to simplify the immigration process for spouses by eliminating the requirement for applicants to leave the United States during the process.
Instead, those who already meet the qualifications for permanent residency would be allowed to stay in the country, reducing the risks and hardships that could arise from temporary separation.
The new rules specifically apply to immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for at least ten years and are married to American citizens before June 17, 2024. It also extends to an estimated 50,000 stepchildren of U.S. citizens.
Those eligible under this policy would receive work authorization and temporary legal status for up to three years, allowing them to stay in the country while applying for a green card—a critical step toward achieving full U.S. citizenship.
However, the 16 states challenging the policy argue that it places a financial burden on their resources, including healthcare, education, and law enforcement services used by immigrants.
They claim that the new regulations would result in millions of dollars in costs to state public services, intensifying the legal debate over the reform.
The court’s decision to temporarily block the policy is seen as a significant obstacle for Biden’s immigration agenda, and the legal battle is expected to continue as both sides prepare for further hearings.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
Judge Tells Duane Davis He Must Face Justice for Tupac’s Murder
Timini Egbuson Reflects on Embracing YouTube Movies in Nollywood
