BOSTON (BN24) — A federal appeals court ruled Friday that the Trump administration has the authority to end humanitarian parole protections for more than 430,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, a decision that could force many to leave the United States.
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a two-page ruling lifting a lower court stay that had temporarily blocked the administration from moving forward. While the decision marks a legal victory for President Donald Trump’s administration, it does not immediately change the status of migrants as the lawsuit continues.
Court Says Harm Does Not Outweigh Legal Authority
In its opinion, the three-judge panel acknowledged the “risks of irreparable harm” raised by the lower court — including family separation, loss of lawful employment, and the possibility of returning to dangerous conditions in home countries. But the court found those concerns were insufficient to override the administration’s legal authority.
“Absent a strong showing of likelihood of success on the merits, the risk of such irreparable harms cannot, by itself, support a stay,” the judges wrote.
The ruling allows the Department of Homeland Security to move forward with its plan to revoke parole, which grants migrants two-year authorization to live and work in the U.S.
Reaction From Both Sides
Attorneys for the migrants expressed disappointment. Esther Sung, legal director of the Justice Action Center, said the decision “hurts everyone.”
“People who came here from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela did everything the government asked of them, and the Trump administration cruelly and nonsensically failed to hold up the government’s end of the bargain,” Sung said, vowing to continue litigation.
Government lawyers, led by Solicitor General D. John Sauer, argued that the program was always discretionary and temporary, and that requiring case-by-case reviews would be a “gargantuan task” that would undermine removal efforts.
“The Secretary’s discretionary rescission of a discretionary benefit should have been the end of the matter,” Justice Department attorneys said.
A Historic Rollback of Migrant Protections
The decision stems from Trump’s March announcement to terminate humanitarian parole programs introduced under President Joe Biden. The administration argued that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has full authority to end parole designations without judicial intervention.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs countered that Noem ignored humanitarian concerns and that the law requires individualized review. They described the policy change as “the largest mass illegalization event in modern American history.”
The Supreme Court had already lifted a district court stay in May, signaling skepticism of challenges to Trump’s policy. Friday’s appeals court ruling reinforces the administration’s position, even as broader litigation continues.
Trump’s Immigration Agenda
The ruling underscores Trump’s broader campaign pledge to deport millions and dismantle immigration pathways expanded under Biden. The administration’s move represents the first-ever mass revocation of humanitarian parole in U.S. history, setting up a precedent for sweeping changes in immigration law.
