A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has issued a preliminary injunction halting the expedited deportation of migrants who legally entered the United States under humanitarian parole programs, in a significant victory for immigrant rights and due process advocates.
The August 1 ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes Cobb temporarily blocks the federal government from applying Trump administration’s directives that allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to fast-track the removal of individuals who had been lawfully paroled into the U.S. through past Biden administration programs.
The judge ruled that the directives, which targeted individuals admitted under parole programs such as the Biden categorical parole and CBP One app system, violated constitutional protections and raised “fundamental concerns about fair play and due process.”
A Victory for Due Process
Immigration attorney LaToya McBean Pompy, Esq., celebrated the decision in a recent analysis shared with her 500,000 Instagram followers.
“This is a big win,” she said. “The ruling blocks ICE from targeting people who came in legally—yes, legally—on parole, and deporting them with no due process.”
The Biden-era humanitarian parole programs have allowed over 500,000 people from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. legally, often to escape violence or economic hardship. In addition, nearly 1 million individuals have been paroled through the CBP One app at the Southern border.
Under recent directives issued by the Department of Homeland Security, many of these migrants faced the threat of expedited removal—a fast-track deportation process that limits access to legal representation and bypasses traditional immigration hearings.
The new ruling prevents ICE from enforcing this practice while litigation continues.
No More ‘Courthouse Ambush’ Arrests—for Now
One of the most criticized aspects of the policy was ICE’s use of courthouse arrests. Advocates shared multiple reports and videos of parolees being arrested immediately after attending court hearings, often leaving families terrified and without answers.
“Stopping ICE from ambushing people at court and placing them in expedited removal is huge,” said McBean Pompy. “It protects people during this critical litigation window.”
Although ICE may still maintain a presence at courthouses, the ruling prevents them from using expedited removal as a tool against legally admitted parolees—for now.
Government Expected to Appeal
The Department of Justice is expected to appeal the ruling, but until then, immigrants admitted on humanitarian parole have new protections. The court explained that individuals who enter the country through lawful means must still be afforded due process, a principle that many immigration advocates say has been undermined in recent years.
“This isn’t the end of the fight,” McBean Pompy cautioned. “We must remain vigilant, but we should celebrate this important legal win.”
What Parolees Should Know Now
McBean Pompy advises all parolees to attend their scheduled immigration hearings and consult with an attorney.
“If you don’t show up, the judge can issue a removal order in your absence,” she warned. “You may be able to submit written pleadings or appear virtually—talk to a lawyer about your options.”
The ruling is a key development in the broader legal battle over immigration enforcement under the Biden and Trump administrations.
Immigrant rights groups see it as a much-needed pause on harsh enforcement tactics that disproportionately impact vulnerable individuals who entered the country seeking safety.
