A federal judge on Monday issued a significant legal setback to the Trump administration, halting its efforts to rescind the legal status and work permits of more than 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These individuals arrived in the United States under President Joe Biden’s controversial CHNV humanitarian parole program.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by President Barack Obama, ruled that the administration cannot summarily revoke the parole and work authorization granted under the program without conducting individualized, case-by-case reviews.

“The Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans… is hereby STAYED pending further court order,” Talwani wrote in her decision. “This applies to revocations made without individual assessment of those granted parole under the CHNV programs prior to their original parole end date.”

The CHNV (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela) program was introduced by President Biden in 2023 through executive action. Initially launched in 2022 for Venezuelan nationals, it was later expanded to include migrants from three additional countries. The program aimed to manage migration pressures at the southern border by offering a legal pathway for entry, provided applicants had U.S.-based sponsors.

Biden administration officials argued that the initiative helped reduce unlawful border crossings and improved security by allowing for pre-screening of migrants. Under the program, qualified individuals and their immediate family members could fly into the U.S. and remain for two years under humanitarian parole.

However, the program drew criticism and was briefly paused due to widespread fraud. Several recipients were also involved in high-profile criminal cases, including instances of child sexual assault, which fueled political and public backlash.

In March 2025, the Trump administration announced plans to terminate parole for the CHNV recipients, giving them until April 24 to leave the country. That decision was made public on March 25, triggering legal challenges and sparking national debate over executive authority in immigration policy.

A senior official from the Trump administration criticized the ruling sharply, telling Fox News, “It is pure lawless tyranny.” The official contended that Judge Talwani’s decision undermines the current administration’s ability to exercise the same executive powers used by President Biden to establish the program.

The Department of Homeland Security has not yet issued a public statement, and Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.