Appeals Court Upholds Trump’s Power To Reverse Biden Migrant ‘Parole’
A federal appeals court on Friday handed President Donald J. Trump a major immigration victory, ruling that he has broad authority to dismantle Biden-era parole programs that had allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the United States with little vetting.
The unanimous decision by the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — issued by a panel of three Democratic appointees — overturned a lower court ruling that sought to block Trump from ending the sweeping programs.
Writing for the panel, Circuit Judge Gustavo Gelpí said the law clearly empowers the executive branch to terminate parole programs altogether, rejecting arguments that the administration would need to revoke each migrant’s parole on a case-by-case basis.
“The district court held that the statutory text ‘contemplate[s] termination of parole on an individual, rather than categorical, basis.’ We read the statute differently,” Gelpí wrote.
The decision represents one of Trump’s most significant legal victories since resuming office, affirming his order to return parole to its limited, case-specific use for urgent humanitarian needs or government purposes — rather than the mass-entry programs established by Joe Biden.
Under Biden, parole authority was expanded to cover millions of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and other countries. Known as the CHNV program, the initiative allowed migrants to enter the U.S. with a financial sponsor and through an airport rather than the border. Other efforts opened parole to Afghans, Ukrainians, and migrants gathered in northern Mexico.
Biden officials claimed the programs were intended to create “safe pathways” for entry, but critics argued they amounted to an unlawful shadow immigration system, encouraging more illegal crossings while bypassing Congress.
After retaking office, Trump ordered Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to dismantle the programs and restore immigration law to its original intent.
Immigrant rights groups blasted the ruling. “This ruling is a devastating blow to hundreds of thousands of lawful immigrants and their U.S.-based sponsors who welcomed them into their homes and communities, but this is not the end of our legal fight,” said Anwen Hughes of Human Rights First.
The ruling comes amid a broader legal battle over Trump’s aggressive deportation policies. Earlier this month, a Biden-appointed judge issued a surprise 2:35 a.m. restraining order blocking Trump from deporting Guatemalan migrant children who had already been placed on flights. That decision temporarily halted removals of potentially hundreds of minors under Trump’s agreement with Guatemala.
Still, Friday’s appeals court ruling underscores that Trump’s hardline immigration agenda is on solid legal ground — and that the President’s push to undo Biden’s mass-parole pipeline is likely to continue.