A federal judge in the US has blocked President Donald Trump's administration's attempt to revoke the legal status of more than 8,400 family members of US citizens and green card holders who arrived in the country from seven countries in South America, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
US District Court Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a preliminary injunction barring the Department of Homeland Security from terminating temporary humanitarian status granted to thousands of citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
These people were admitted to the US under family reunification programs created or renewed during the administration of former President Joe Biden. The programs allowed relatives of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to live in the United States while waiting for a visa.
Since taking office, Trump has tightened immigration controls, allocating $170 billion through September 2029 for immigration services.
The Department of Homeland Security announced in December that it was ending the programs because it said they were not aligned with the Trump administration's priorities and had been used to admit "inadequately vetted aliens" who circumvented standard procedures.
The termination was originally scheduled to take effect on January 14, but Judge Talwani issued a 14-day temporary injunction to consider whether to issue a longer-term injunction.
In his ruling, the judge said the agency, led by Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem, had failed to present evidence in support the allegations of abuses, nor did it consider whether those affected could actually return to their home countries, after many had sold their homes or quit their jobs.
"The secretary failed to provide a reasoned explanation for the policy change that disregarded these legitimate interests," wrote Talwani, an appointee of former President Barack Obama. She said that omission made the decision arbitrary and unreasonable.
The Department of Homeland Security did not comment on the case. The decision was made in a class action lawsuit filed by migrant rights groups challenging the broader restrictions on temporary humanitarian status granted to hundreds of thousands of migrants.