In a major legal blow to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, a federal judge in Boston has halted his administration’s move to revoke the legal status of over 500,000 immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti.

The ruling, issued on Tuesday (15) by District Judge Indira Talwani, grants emergency relief to immigrants who were protected under the humanitarian parole program launched in 2022.

This program, initiated under President Joe Biden, allowed lawful entry for up to 30,000 individuals per month from the four nations—each grappling with political unrest, violence, and severe human rights issues. Migrants under the program were granted two years of legal stay in the U.S. to escape dire conditions at home.

In March 2025, Trump’s administration announced the termination of the parole program, which would have stripped these immigrants of their legal protections effective April 24—just 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security’s decision was published in the Federal Register.