A federal judge issued a significant ruling on Monday, blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke the legal status and work permits of over 530,000 migrants. These individuals arrived in the United States under the Biden administration’s CHNV program, a mass humanitarian parole initiative for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, argued that each migrant’s case requires individual review, preventing the blanket revocation of their legal standing. Her order effectively stays the Trump administration’s action, pending further legal proceedings. This decision throws a wrench into the Trump administration’s immigration plans, which aimed to undo a key policy of the previous administration.
The CHNV program, established in 2023, aimed to alleviate the strain on the southern border by allowing pre-vetted migrants with U.S. sponsors to enter the country legally. Initially focused on Venezuelans, the program later expanded to include citizens of the other three nations. While intended to reduce illegal crossings and improve vetting, the program faced challenges, including reported instances of fraud and criminal activity among some participants, leading to a temporary suspension.
The Trump administration, in response, sought to utilize executive authority—mirroring the same authority used by the Biden administration to create the program—to rescind the parole status granted to these migrants. However, Judge Talwani’s ruling effectively prevents this, asserting the need for individual assessments for each migrant. A Trump administration official expressed strong disapproval of the ruling, labeling it “pure lawless tyranny.”
The approximately 532,000 migrants affected by this decision had previously received notices to depart the U.S. by April 24th, 2025, following the formal publication of the cancellation notice on March 25th, 2025. This legal setback for the Trump administration significantly impacts their immigration agenda and leaves the future of these migrants’ legal status uncertain, pending further court action. The White House has yet to comment officially on the ruling.
