In a significant legal setback for the Trump administration, a federal judge has halted a move to revoke the legal status of approximately 500,000 immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued the order, preventing the administration from swiftly ending the "parole" program that allowed these individuals to reside and work in the United States.
The ruling is the latest in a series of legal challenges against the Trump administration's aggressive deportation policies, particularly those targeting Latin American communities. In March, the administration announced its intention to revoke the legal status of 532,000 individuals who entered the U.S. under a program initiated by former President Joe Biden in October 2022.
Judge Talwani's order stated that "emergency relief staying the Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans" was warranted. The parole program, designed to provide a safe haven for those fleeing countries with dire human rights records, permitted up to 30,000 migrants per month from these four nations to enter the United States for a two-year period.
Talwani argued that the Trump administration's action was based on a flawed interpretation of immigration law. She clarified that expedited removal processes typically apply to individuals entering the country illegally, not to those authorized to be in the U.S. through programs like parole.
Under the Trump administration's revocation plan, the affected immigrants would have lost their legal protections effective April 24, a mere 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security published its order. This expedited timeline raised concerns among legal advocates and immigrant rights groups, who argued that it would have left individuals with limited time to prepare for potential deportation.
Trump, who campaigned on a platform of жест immigration enforcement, has pledged to deport "millions" of undocumented migrants if re-elected. His administration has already taken controversial measures, including invoking wartime legislation to deport alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador.
The judge's decision provides temporary relief for the affected immigrants, but the legal battle is far from over. The Trump administration is likely to appeal the ruling, setting the stage for a prolonged legal fight that could ultimately determine the fate of hundreds of thousands of individuals and families.
