Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Ending Family Reunification Parole
US Border Patrol agents stand guard at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 8, 2026. A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed an American woman on the streets of Minneapolis January 7, leading to huge protests and outrage from local leaders who rejected White House claims she was a domestic terrorist. The woman, identified in local media as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, was hit at point blank range as she apparently tried to drive away from agents who were crowding around her car, which they said was blocking their way. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)
A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s plan to revoke “family reunification parole” status for more than 10,000 immigrants next week.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, based in Boston, issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday, citing that immigration authorities failed to properly notify affected individuals. Talwani ruled that publishing the decision in the Federal Register did not satisfy legal notification requirements, and some immigrants never received notice of the revocation.
The family reunification parole program, which allows certain immigrants to live and work in the U.S., has been targeted as part of the administration’s broader crackdown on immigration. Advocates said the suspension prevents families from being forcibly separated while some were only weeks or months away from obtaining green cards.
Karen Tumlin, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, described the ruling as “a huge sigh of relief,” noting that it temporarily protects immigrants who have complied with all U.S. requirements. Talwani previously blocked similar efforts last year targeting hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
The Trump administration had indicated it would provide online notice to affected immigrants, but the judge questioned whether all parolees had access to such accounts and confirmed timely notification. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment.
