In a major legal blow to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, a federal judge in Boston has halted his administration’s move to revoke the legal status of over 500,000 immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti.
The ruling, issued on Tuesday (15) by District Judge Indira Talwani, grants emergency relief to immigrants who were protected under the humanitarian parole program launched in 2022.
This program, initiated under President Joe Biden, allowed lawful entry for up to 30,000 individuals per month from the four nations—each grappling with political unrest, violence, and severe human rights issues. Migrants under the program were granted two years of legal stay in the U.S. to escape dire conditions at home.
In March 2025, Trump’s administration announced the termination of the parole program, which would have stripped these immigrants of their legal protections effective April 24—just 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security’s decision was published in the Federal Register.
Judge Talwani ruled that the Trump administration’s decision was based on a misinterpretation of immigration law. She clarified that expedited deportation rules apply to unauthorized immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally, not to those who were granted parole status and entered the country lawfully.
“The court grants emergency relief staying the Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans,” the judge stated in her ruling.
This is the latest judicial intervention to counter Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown. During his current campaign for re-election, Trump has made immigration enforcement a central promise, vowing to deport millions of undocumented immigrants if re-elected.
He has also invoked wartime emergency powers to deport alleged gang members from Venezuela to El Salvador, where many now face imprisonment.
Immigration advocates and legal experts welcomed the ruling, calling it a critical safeguard for vulnerable migrants who entered the U.S. legally and have built lives during their parole period. The decision temporarily preserves legal protections for these communities while broader legal battles over immigration policy continue to unfold in U.S. courts.
