President Trump’s latest push to crack down on illegal immigration just hit a legal roadblock—this time from the federal bench.
On April 10th, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who was appointed by President Obama, issued a ruling that temporarily blocks the Trump administration from ending a Biden-era immigration program known as CHNV.
The program has allowed more than 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to live and work in the U.S. under what’s called “humanitarian parole.”
The Trump team had planned to shut it down, saying the program was never meant to be permanent and had outlived its purpose.
Now, thanks to this court ruling, deportations are on hold—at least for the time being.
What’s the CHNV Program?
The CHNV program started under President Biden in 2022 and was expanded in 2023. CHNV is an acronym that stands for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
It allowed people from those four specific countries to apply from their home countries for temporary legal status in the U.S.
To qualify, they needed to pass background checks, have a sponsor already living in the U.S., and agree to return home after two years. They were also given work permits so they could earn a living during their stay.
Trump Moves to End It
In March 2025, President Trump’s Department of Homeland Security moved to end the CHNV program, giving an April 24 deadline for the parole status to expire.
That meant the migrants would no longer be legally allowed to remain in the country and could face deportation.
Judge Talwani ruled that DHS didn’t provide a strong enough legal reason to cancel the program. She said the government’s decision was based on an “incorrect reading of the law” and that the migrants had been promised parole under a certain set of terms.
Her ruling pauses the deportations and blocks the administration’s action while the case makes its way through the courts.
Mixed Reactions Across the Country
Immigrant advocacy groups cheered the decision. Organizations like the Justice Action Center called it a victory for families and vulnerable migrants who followed the rules as the program required.
Critics blasted the ruling as judicial overreach. Others asked, if the CHNV program was meant to be temporary, why is it being treated like a permanent right to stay?
From a limited-government point of view, it’s another reminder of how much power federal judges can have.
What Happens Next?
This ruling is not the end of the story. It’s a temporary stay, not a permanent decision.
The Trump administration is expected to appeal quickly—and the case could eventually land in higher courts.
In the meantime, the ruling delays the administration’s broader immigration agenda, which includes restoring law and order at the border and reversing Biden’s mass-parole programs.
President Trump campaigned on ending chaos at the border, and many voters put him back in the White House to get it done.
The clock’s ticking toward that April 24 deadline—we’ll have to wait and see where this story goes next.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
