A federal appeals court has rejected an effort by the U.S. government to reinstate a policy that would have ended temporary legal status for approximately 400,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift a lower court’s injunction, which prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from revoking two-year parole grants previously issued under the Biden administration. The parole program had allowed qualifying migrants to live and work legally in the United States.
The DHS, under President Donald Trump's administration, had announced in March its intent to terminate these parole grants as part of broader immigration enforcement efforts. The administration argued that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had the authority to end the program in its entirety, claiming that the court's injunction was forcing the government to maintain a status it no longer supported.
However, the appeals court panel, made up of judges appointed by Democratic presidents, concluded that the administration had not provided sufficient legal justification to support its position. The court noted that the categorical termination of parole status lacked a "strong showing" of being upheld on appeal.
Previously, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani halted the policy on April 25, 2025, stating that the government's actions failed to follow proper legal procedures, specifically by not conducting the required individualized case reviews before ending parole. She also ruled that DHS had relied on a misinterpretation of the law by assuming that allowing parole to expire naturally would impede deportation efforts.
The lawsuit was filed by immigrant advocacy groups, including the Justice Action Center, which challenged the legality of DHS's move. The groups argued that the administration’s actions were rushed and unlawful, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of losing their legal right to remain in the country. The administration now has the option to seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Reference:
Raymond, Nate. “US appeals court rejects Trump bid to revoke thousands of migrants’ status” Reuters. May 5, 2025.
