Federal Judge Blocks DHS from Ending Family Reunification Parole Program

A federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily halted the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) plans to end the Family Reunification Parole (FRP) program, which affects immigrants from seven countries. The judge ruled that DHS likely did not provide sufficient notice to those impacted before taking action to revoke their legal status.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani stated that an emergency stay was necessary, granting a 14-day temporary restraining order to prevent the termination of several national FRP programs.

The FRP is designed to allow certain relatives of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to enter the U.S. temporarily while awaiting immigrant visas, a process that can often take years.

In December, DHS announced its decision to end all FRP programs for immigrants and immediate family members from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras.

According to a press release from the agency, the administration aims to put a stop to what it terms the misuse of humane parole, arguing that it allowed individuals with insufficient vetting to bypass traditional processes. The DHS’s stance is that the FRP should return to a case-by-case evaluation, aligning with what Congress intended.

DHS plans to inform individuals affected by mail that their parole and the associated work authorizations would be terminated. However, the layoffs, set to take effect on January 14, will not apply to those who filed a Form I-485 for permanent residency by December 15, 2025, and whose applications remain pending.

Judge Talwani noted that DHS likely failed to provide the individual written notices required before the termination of recipient status, pointing out an apparent lack of evidence that notifications were sent through online accounts or the mail.

She remarked that while the Federal Register suggested that all FRP parolees should have accounts with USCIS, there was insufficient evidence indicating that notifications were adequately sent or received.

Moreover, Talwani ordered DHS to clarify its decision-making process by January 13 and set an expedited timeline for the government to submit a legal response by January 15, with plaintiffs given until January 20 to reply.