Judge halts Trump and protects the legal status of thousands of migrants, including Cubans, in the U.S.

Federal Judge Indira Talwani has once again interposed herself in the path of Donald Trump's immigration policy, this time with a significant decision blocking, on a preliminary basis, the attempt by his administration to eliminate the legal status of over 8,400 migrants participating in family reunification programs, including thousands of Cubans, according to the agency Reuters.

The ruling, issued by a federal court in Boston, represents a new setback for the immigration hardening strategy promoted by Trump following his return to the White House.

Unlike the temporary suspension issued in early January, this court order currently prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from canceling the humanitarian parole granted to relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

The decision comes at a time when the Trump administration has aggressively intensified the enforcement of immigration laws, backed by a historic budget of $170 billion for immigration agencies through 2029.

In this context, the DHS, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, had announced in December the elimination of these programs, citing alleged security gaps and an "abusive" use of parole to allow the entry of "insufficiently vetted" foreigners.

However, Judge Talwani was emphatic. In her order, cited by Reuters, she stated that the government did not provide a reasoned explanation to dismantle a policy that had allowed these families to legally settle in the United States for years while waiting for their visas to become available.

He also emphasized that many of the affected individuals had already sold their homes, left their jobs, and restructured their lives with the explicit promise from the U.S. government.

"The secretary could not provide a reasoned explanation for the policy change without acknowledging these interests," wrote Talwani, appointed by President Barack Obama, describing the DHS's actions as "arbitrary and capricious."

The family reunification parole has been, for years, one of the few legal pathways that allowed parents, children, and spouses to reunite in the United States without resorting to dangerous migratory routes. Its abrupt elimination would have left thousands of Cubans in legal limbo, exposed to deportation and at risk of permanently losing the chance to adjust their status under the Cuban Adjustment Act.

In early January, , noting at the time the lack of individual notification to migrants and warning of the “irreparable harm” that could result from a massive and automatic revocation.

The case is part of a class-action lawsuit initiated by organizations advocating for immigrant rights, which challenge the widespread revocation of various parole programs implemented or expanded during the Biden administration.

In previous proceedings, Talwani had also blocked the elimination of parole for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, although in that case the Supreme Court ultimately lifted her order.

For now, the Trump administration has not publicly commented on the new ruling, according to Reuters. As the legal battle continues, thousands of families, including many Cuban families, breathe a sigh of relief, aware that their stability in the United States continues to hang in the balance of judicial decisions that have once again become the main counterbalance to the president's immigration policy.