It was early morning when an immigrant family, awaiting their green card with bated breath, received an unexpected email. The alert, initially a harbinger of losing their legal status, was suddenly rescinded, providing a momentary sigh of relief. This chain of events unfolded as Federal Judge Indira Talwani ordered the immediate suspension of a Trump administration measure that would have revoked the legal status of thousands of immigrants in the United States as early as next week.
This decision represents another judicial setback for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
In a ruling issued Saturday, Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts blocked the scheduled revocation of the family reunification parole program. This program allows certain relatives of U.S. citizens or permanent residents to live and work legally in the United States while awaiting final adjustment of their immigration status.
The judicial decision centers on procedural compliance. Judge Talwani found that the Department of Homeland Security did not fulfill its legal obligation to directly inform affected individuals of the imminent loss of their status, as required under the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 553. This statutory requirement ensures that individuals are given proper notice and opportunity to respond to changes affecting their legal standing.
The Trump administration argued that publishing the decision in the Federal Register on December 15 satisfied this requirement. The judge disagreed, ruling that publication could not replace individual, explicit, and traceable notification.
Federal authorities claimed that program beneficiaries would receive written notice through their online immigration accounts. However, the court ruled that this method was inadequate. Officials said that the online messages would suffice, but the court found evidence showing that some beneficiaries received this message weeks after the official announcement, while others stated they were never notified.
In her five-page order, the judge noted that the record does not show that most or all affected individuals have such accounts or received timely notification.
Thousands of Families Affected
When the Trump administration announced the end of the family reunification program last month, it estimated that about 15,000 people still held this status. To put it into perspective, this number is comparable to the population of a small town in the United States, illustrating the significant impact such a change could have on a tight-knit community. Not all were immediately at risk, as some adjustment applications were still pending.
According to immigrant advocacy organizations, between 10,000 and 12,000 people were at risk of losing their legal status as early as this week, exposing them to deportation or loss of work authorization.
Karen Tumlin, an attorney at the Justice Action Center and a plaintiff in the case, stated that the decision provides immediate relief for thousands of families. She emphasized that many affected individuals are only weeks or months away from obtaining a green card after meeting all requirements imposed by U.S. authorities.
Immigration Crackdown Challenged in Court
This battle is one chapter in a larger legal saga. This case is part of a broader campaign of immigration restrictions led by the Trump administration, which has taken measures to reduce or eliminate various temporary statuses granted to individuals fleeing economic crises, armed conflicts, or natural disasters.
These initiatives have been repeatedly challenged in court, with several federal judges finding that the executive branch implemented major changes without sufficient due process protections.
This is not Judge Talwani’s first case involving the Trump administration. Last April, she blocked a measure to terminate parole status, including work permits, for nearly 500,000 nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The Supreme Court overturned that decision a month later, ruling on an emergency basis without a majority opinion.
Temporary Relief, Not Final Victory
Saturday’s order is a preliminary injunction intended to maintain the status quo, meaning families keep their work permits for now, while the court reviews the merits of the case. It does not determine the final outcome but temporarily prevents the administration from revoking the program.
The DepartmenThe Department of Homeland Security had not issued a public response to the decision at the time of publication. This latest judicial suspension illustrates the limits the executive branch faces in its efforts to accelerate the mass deportations promised by President Trump and confirms the central role of federal courts in arbitrating conflicts between immigration policy and respect for fundamental legal protections.
Article based on information reported by Politico
