Immigration Law Updates: Parole Terminations, Court Rulings, and Policy Changes
Termination of Parole Programs for Specific Nationalities
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to terminate parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These programs previously allowed certain nationals from these countries to temporarily enter the United States.
Court Ruling on the Alien Enemies Act
On March 15, 2025, a federal judge broadened the scope of a temporary restraining order (TRO) that blocks the Trump administration from removing immigrants from the United States using the Alien Enemies Act. The ruling extends the order to all individuals facing potential removal under the act and grants class certification.
The March 15 decision stated that the President's attempt to summarily remove Venezuelan non-citizens exceeds the wartime authority delegated by Congress in the Alien Enemies Act, violates the process and protections prescribed in the country's immigration laws for removing non-citizens, and violates due process.
Deportation Attempts and Court Intervention
During the March 15 hearing, several planes carrying hundreds of Venezuelans took off to detain them in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The judge ordered any planes containing these individuals to be returned to the United States, but the planes landed in El Salvador instead.
Increased Detentions and Deportations
The U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) has stepped up detentions and deportations of foreign nationals entering the United States as tourists or permanent residents. This has led to several countries issuing travel warnings, including:
• A French researcher denied entry into the United States due to messages critical of the Trump administration's policies.
• A Georgetown University researcher whose deportation was blocked by a federal judge.
Countries like Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, and the United Kingdom have issued or revised travel advisories for their citizens due to these detentions.
Elimination of Oversight and Transparency
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman's office, along with the offices of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman and Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, have been closed, and their employees have been terminated. This move is seen as an attempt to eliminate transparency and oversight of President Trump's immigration policies.
For more information on immigration laws and policies, visit our website at ImmigrationLawFirm.com or consult with an experienced immigration lawyer in your area.