A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate the legal status of more than 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
These individuals entered the United States under the Biden-era CHNV (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela) humanitarian parole program. The program, initiated in 2022 and expanded in 2023, allowed vetted migrants to legally enter the U.S. by air with the support of American sponsors.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Obama, issued the ruling in Boston, stating that ending the program without individualized justification for each case would undermine the rule of law.
In her decision she wrote, “The Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, 90 Fed. Reg. 13611 (Mar. 25, 2025), is hereby STAYED pending further court order insofar as it revokes, without case-by-case review, the previously granted parole and work authorization issued to noncitizens paroled into the UnitedStates pursuant to parole programs for noncitizens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (the “CHNV parole programs”) prior to the noncitizen’s originally stated parole end date.”
The decision prevents the Department of Homeland Security from revoking the migrants’ temporary legal status and work permits, which were set to expire on April 24, 2025.
Immigrant advocacy groups, including the Justice Action Center, praised the ruling as a significant step toward justice for the migrants and their American sponsors. Conversely, Trump administration officials criticized the decision, arguing it restricts the president’s executive authority, similar to that exercised by President Biden when initiating the program.
The CHNV program, modeled after the “Uniting for Ukraine” initiative, was credited with reducing unauthorized border crossings by providing a legal pathway for migrants from the four countries.
The administration is expected to appeal as part of its broader effort to restore order at the southern border.
