OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) –  Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is joining 17 other states in a lawsuit against the Biden Administration over its proposed “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule.

The Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule went into effect when Title 42 expired May 11.

The rule makes it extremely difficult for migrants who travel to the southern border to get asylum if they don’t first seek protection in a country they passed through before reaching the U.S. or if they don’t apply online for an appointment at the border to seek entry into the United States.

Drummond claims the new rule simply worsens the problem by redefining previously illegal border crossings as ‘lawful pathways.’

“The Biden Administration’s continued lack of a responsible and coherent immigration policy along our southern border is having disastrous consequences,” Drummond said. “This would-be rule only serves to compound the problem encouraging and allowing even more illegal immigration. I am proud to stand with attorneys general from across the country to oppose this misguided and harmful rule.”

In addition to Oklahoma, the Indiana-led lawsuit is also joined by Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

Last week, Drummond joined an amicus brief supporting the State of Florida’s lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s immigration policy.