In a major immigration policy shift, the United States Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration the green light to revoke the legal status of over 500,000 migrants. These individuals had entered the US under a humanitarian parole programme introduced by former President Joe Biden.
According to The Guardian, the court’s decision affects migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who were previously granted a two-year entry period, with the programme accepting up to 30,000 migrants per month.
Humanitarian Policy Under Fire
The programme was originally established to provide temporary relief for migrants fleeing political instability, violence, and human rights abuses in their home countries.
However, the Supreme Court, in a brief, unsigned order issued on Friday, lifted an earlier injunction by a lower court that had blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the policy. This action opens the door for mass deportations, even as legal challenges remain unresolved.
Liberal Justices Dissent Strongly
Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the majority ruling. Justice Jackson issued a strongly worded opinion highlighting the humanitarian cost of the decision.
“It is apparent that the government seeks a stay to enable it to inflict maximum pre-decision damage,” Jackson wrote.
She described the decision as one that forces migrants into two devastating options:
- Voluntarily leave the US and face dangerous conditions back home, family separation, and the loss of legal remedies, or
- Stay and risk immediate deportation, including all its legal and emotional consequences.
“Either choice creates significant problems… that far exceed any harm to the government,” she added.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Intensifies
Since returning to the office, President Donald Trump has wasted no time in reviving his tough immigration agenda. His legal team argued that the parole policy exceeded the government’s authority under current immigration laws.
This move is just one in a series of Trump’s actions aimed at tightening border control and limiting immigration, including the deportation of Venezuelan nationals under an obscure wartime law—citing alleged gang affiliations.
Historical Use of Parole Under Scrutiny
Parole programmes have long been a part of US immigration policy. For instance, Cubans were granted entry during the 1960s post-revolution, and Ukrainians were offered parole status by the Biden administration in 2022 following Russia’s invasion.
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Immigration advocates argue that revoking such protections for vulnerable populations undermines the country’s humanitarian commitments.
Legal Battles Continue
While the Supreme Court’s ruling does not end the legal battle, it allows the Trump administration to begin enforcement as the broader case continues through the courts.
The ruling has triggered widespread criticism from human rights groups, legal scholars, and immigrant communities, many of whom now face an uncertain future.
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