Maria García began the week full of hope. Swinging by the office of her attorney in Los Angeles, she dropped off required paperwork for the Biden administration’s new immigration policy that could finally give her husband, Roberto, legal residency as the spouse of an American citizen.

But hours later Monday, that dream was interrupted when a federal judge in Texas temporarily suspended the program that could benefit an estimated 500,000 immigrants in the U.S., freezing in place one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years.

“They are hurting American families. We are in limbo,” said García, 44, a U.S. citizen who married Roberto, 37, in 2017. He crossed the border in 2009 and has a construction company in Los Angeles; the couple have three children, all U.S. citizens.

The pause issued by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker came in response to a challenge by 16 states, led by Republican attorneys general, who filed a federal lawsuit just days after the program began taking applications last week. The order, known as an administrative stay, will be in place for 14 days but could be extended.

The states accused the administration of bypassing Congress for “blatant political purposes.”

On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said the government would continue to take applications and defend the program in court. Any applicants granted parole prior to the order will be unaffected, according to the department.

DHS did not specify how many applications were received or approved or how long it takes to determine the outcome of a case under the Keeping Families Together program. “Keeping Families Together enables U.S. citizens and their family members to live without fear of separation, consistent with fundamental American values,” DHS said in a statement.

Eligibility requirements include continuously living in the country for 10 years, not posing a security threat or having a disqualifying criminal history, and to have been married as of June 17, the announcement date of the program. Applicants also must pay a $580 fee.