A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s effort to terminate a Biden-era migration program that provides temporary legal status to individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV).
The ruling, issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, represents a significant setback for the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies.
The CHNV program, which has granted temporary legal status to approximately half a million people in the United States, was scheduled to end on April 24, potentially placing these individuals at risk of deportation. Judge Talwani’s decision to issue a stay prevents the program’s immediate termination.
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In her ruling, Judge Talwani stated that “the early termination, without any case-by-case justification, of legal status for noncitizens who have complied with DHS programs and entered the country lawfully undermines the rule of law.” She emphasized the precarious situation these individuals would face if their parole status were to lapse.
“If the Plaintiffs leave the country on their own, they will face dangers in their native countries, as set forth in their affidavits,” Judge Talwani wrote. She also highlighted the potential for family separation and the forfeiture of legal remedies if individuals were forced to depart.
The CHNV program allows vetted individuals from the four nations to enter the U.S. by plane, provided they have sponsors within the country. These individuals are granted protection from deportation and receive work permits for a two-year period.
Karen Tumlin, founder and director of the immigrant advocacy group Justice Action Center, praised the ruling.
“This ruling is a significant step toward justice for not only the hundreds of thousands of people who entered the U.S. through this important process, but for the American sponsors who welcomed them to their homes and communities. With this decision, so many people throughout the country will be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief,” said Tumlin. “Our clients — and our class members — have done everything the government asked of them, and we’re gratified to see that the court will not allow the government to fail to uphold its side of the bargain.”
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However, Trump administration officials criticized the decision.
A spokesperson, speaking to Fox News, argued that the judge “essentially ruled” that the president “can’t use his own executive authority, the same authority Biden used, to revoke the parole that Biden granted.” They described the ruling as “pure lawless tyranny.”
As of Tuesday morning, representatives from the White House, the Justice Department, Department of Human Services, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had not issued official comments.
The situation remains fluid, and the future of the CHNV program hangs in the balance as legal challenges continue.
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