A federal appeals court has rejected a request from former President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at revoking the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. This decision comes as the American public remains deeply divided over the United States’ approach to immigration policy and enforcement.
During his presidency, Trump tried to massively ramp up deportation efforts. His administration pursued noncitizen targeting. These people had been given a legal entitlement to reside and work in the country. A recent federal court ruling prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from terminating the two-year “parole.” This crucial guardrail was established for marginalized communities under the current administration of President Joe Biden.
The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which consists of judges appointed by Democratic presidents, declined to stay a previous ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani. On April 25, Talwani halted the DHS’s decision to revoke previously granted parole and work authorizations for migrants on a categorical basis without any individual case review.
That’s Karen Tumlin, speaking on behalf of the Justice Action Center, one of the immigrant rights groups that intervened in the case. She underscored the ruling’s importance for their movement. Advocates for immigrant rights have mounted unprecedentedly fierce resistance against the agency’s actions. These rulings remove hard fought protections from long settled people calling the U.S. home.
Immediately upon the court’s decision, that outcome became a central component of immigration policy. It freezes up most of the Biden administration’s programs that have recently allowed migrants from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S. legally. These programs are lifelines for those escaping violence, persecution, and other dire circumstances found in their home countries.
The appeals court noted that the Trump administration “has not at this point made a ‘strong showing’ that her categorical termination of plaintiffs’ parole is likely to be sustained on appeal.” The rationale in this ruling could bolster legal arguments already being pursued by immigrant advocates. They contend that these actions are unjustified and would affect millions of people in harmful ways.
The former administration’s stance was clear. It aimed to “retain hundreds of thousands of aliens in the country against its will,” reflecting a broader strategy focused on strict immigration enforcement. This recent ruling is a welcome sign of a major check on those efforts.
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