A lawsuit challenging the parole programs that allow migrants from four different countries to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds has been dismissed by a U.S. federal judge in Texas, reports Uriel J. García of the Texas Tribune. 

The humanitarian parole programs, launched by the Biden administration, allows up to 30,000 people combined from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua to the U.S. through a legal, orderly path per month. Texas and 20 other states argued that the program cost them millions in social services for migrants. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton found that the states did not prove the alleged financial harm.  

Separately, a new Democratic working group is being formed by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) in an attempt to revive the conversation around immigration reform, reports Arelis R. Hernández and Marianna Sotomayor of The Washington Post. 

Cuellar, who represents a border district in South Texas, is inviting more moderate and newer lawmakers to the conversation. Around 23 have joined so far. The group aims to propose legislation on border and immigration solutions and add pressure for bipartisan work, Hernández and Sotomayor note.  

Welcome to Monday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s strategic communications senior manager, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Dan Gordon, Isabella Miller and Ally Villarreal. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

HELPERS —In Herriman, Utah, the City Hall and residents are actively welcoming immigrants, while addressing challenges like a teacher shortage driven by an increase of immigrant arrivals, reports Sarah Matusek of The Christian Science Monitor. Initiatives to welcome include hosting a legal resources fair, a coat drive for English learners and plans for a community center with free English classes. "Helping people is the most important thing," said Julie Shaw, a local volunteer. 

‘TOUGH CONVERSATIONS’ — Hundreds of people protested at the Texas State Capitol against the controversial immigration Senate Bill 4 that may take effect this week, reports Monique Lopez of KEYE. The new law would make unauthorized immigration a state crime, but it has been temporarily halted by the Supreme Court. Lizeth Chacon, executive director of Workers Defense, emphasized that the new legislation is promoting fear among immigrant communities already settled in Texas. She spoke about how families are having "tough conversations" on the effects of the law. Separately, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has announced the deployment of new airboats along the border as part of Operation Lone Star, reports Khaleda Rahman of Newsweek. 

RESEARCH — Studies find that immigrants commit fewer crimes than U.S.-born people, debunking narratives connecting immigration and crime, reports Jasmine Garsd for NPR.  The narrative saw a resurgence recently after a 22-year-old student’s murder in Georgia that drew attention during the State of the Union address. Garsd walks through different studies that show decades of data indicating low rates of crime among immigrants. Some of the most wide-reaching research is done by Stanford University, where "economist Ran Abramitzky found that since the 1960s, immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than U.S.-born people," Garsd notes. 

STRONG — Founded in Canada, a mental health program is helping migrant children in several U.S. cities get the support they need while adjusting to a new life in a new country, reports Kalyn Belsha for Chalkbeat. The program, called STRONG or Supporting Transition Resilience of Newcomer Groups, is being seen by educators, experts and parents "as a promising tool to help newcomers forge connections and head off mental health struggles before they turn into a crisis." 

Thanks for reading,  

Clara