BOSTON, Massachusetts – A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from revoking the legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti.
The ruling, issued by District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston on Monday, prevents the immediate termination of legal protections for those who entered the United States under a parole program launched by former President Joe Biden in October 2022.
The decision is the latest setback for Trump’s administration as it seeks to implement its policy aimed at rapidly carrying out mass deportations, with a particular focus on Latin American immigrants.
In March, the Trump administration had announced its plans to revoke the legal status of approximately 532,000 immigrants from the four countries, arguing that their legal protections were no longer justified.
The ruling follows a request for emergency relief from advocacy groups who argued that Trump’s plan to end the parole status would have serious consequences for individuals who are currently protected from deportation.
Judge Talwani ruled that the administration had overstepped by attempting to remove legal protections for immigrants who were legally authorized to be in the country.
The parole program had allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from the four countries—each facing grim human rights conditions—to enter the U.S. on a two-year basis.
In her order, Talwani pointed out that expedited removal, which could lead to deportation, applies only to non-citizens who entered the country illegally.
The Trump administration’s interpretation of immigration law was flawed, she ruled, as it targeted those who were already authorized to remain in the U.S. under the parole program.
Under the administration’s plan, these immigrants were set to lose their legal protections as of April 24, just 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security published its revocation order in the Federal Register.
Trump, who has made immigration a central focus of his second-term campaign, has repeatedly vowed to deport “millions” of undocumented migrants.
This is in line with his broader agenda to tighten U.S. immigration policies, particularly with regard to those entering the country illegally.
Additionally, Trump has invoked rare wartime legislation to transport hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, where they are being imprisoned.
The move has been heavily criticized by human rights advocates, who argue that the deportation and imprisonment of these individuals violate international human rights laws.
The ruling from Judge Talwani is expected to delay the administration’s plans and could pave the way for a more prolonged legal battle over the status of these migrants.
The case will now proceed, with further hearings to determine whether the parole revocation will eventually stand or be blocked permanently.
