A federal judge in Boston announced on Thursday her intention to block the Trump administration from revoking the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans in the United States. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani stated that the decision by the Department of Homeland Security to cut short a two-year parole granted to these migrants was based on a misinterpretation of the law. The judge criticized the administration for trying to expedite the deportation of around 450,000 individuals based on an incorrect reading of the statute.
Judge Talwani, appointed by President Barack Obama, emphasized that the law was intended for those who crossed the border illegally, not for individuals who were granted permission to enter the U.S. under parole. Immigrant rights advocates, including lawyer Laura Flores-Perilla, stressed the importance of these parole programs in aiding people fleeing danger or persecution. The judge’s decision to halt the termination of migrants’ parole status was seen as a crucial step in safeguarding human lives.
The Biden administration had introduced parole entry programs for Venezuelans, Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, but the Trump administration sought to end the two-year parole granted to these migrants. The Justice Department argued that the parole programs were discretionary and not mandatory. While Judge Talwani indicated she would not dictate the continuation of these programs, she expressed confusion over the administration’s rationale for revoking the status of those already in the country lawfully. She vowed to promptly issue an order pausing the Federal Register notice.
