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A U.S. federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from suspending migrant parole programs established during President Joe Biden's tenure. On Wednesday (May 28), U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ordered the administration to continue processing applications for migrants from countries such as Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These programs allow migrants and their families to live and work in the U.S. temporarily, provided they have sponsors.
Judge Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, emphasized that suspending these programs without proper judicial review was not permissible. She stated that federal law mandates a detailed process for granting or denying parole and other immigration relief. Talwani's ruling protects individuals in several humanitarian parole programs while the case is ongoing.
The Trump administration has been attempting to end these programs as part of its broader immigration crackdown. In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to terminate all categorical parole programs established during the Biden administration. However, the judge's ruling requires case-by-case determinations for revoking parole and work authorization.
Anwen Hughes, a lawyer for Human Rights First, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that it reaffirms the government's obligation to respect the rights of humanitarian parole beneficiaries and their communities. The administration plans to challenge the decision, with the Justice Department arguing that the ruling limits the Executive Branch's discretionary authority over immigration policy.
The legal battle is expected to continue as the Trump administration seeks intervention from the Supreme Court.