Federal Ruling Upholds Humanitarian Parole, Despite Opposition from Republican-Led States

A federal judge in Texas has ruled in favour of an immigration policy that permits up to 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the United States on humanitarian grounds each month. The decision, made on Friday, rejects claims from Republican-led states who argued that the program placed undue economic strain on them.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton upheld the controversial program, known as the humanitarian parole policy, which has been part of President Joe Biden’s immigration strategy. Under the programme, asylum seekers from the four countries can enter the U.S. for two years with work permits. Tipton’s decision blocks attempts by Texas and 20 other states to shut down the programme, which they claim forces them to spend millions on healthcare, education, and public safety. One lawyer involved in the legal challenge argued that the programme has created an unofficial immigration system.

However, advocates for the federal government defend the policy, stating that the migrants admitted under this scheme help fill vital positions in sectors like agriculture, where there is a significant labour shortage.

Since its inception in late 2022, the program has facilitated the entry of over 357,000 individuals. Among them, Haitians make up the largest group, with 138,000 having entered through the program, followed by 86,000 Venezuelans, 74,000 Cubans, and 58,000 Nicaraguans.

Despite the ruling, the program’s future remains uncertain, as an appeal is widely expected. Tipton, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, previously ruled against Biden’s administration in 2022 on another immigration matter.

The program requires migrants to apply online, secure a financial sponsor in the U.S., and arrive at an airport before entering the country. Once admitted, they are permitted to work and stay in the U.S. for up to two years. In a trial held last August, Tipton had declined to impose a temporary order halting the parole program.

Several states have argued that the initiative benefits them, pointing to instances where migrants have filled critical job positions, such as a Nicaraguan worker helping a farm in Washington state.

In the face of opposition, Tipton questioned whether Texas could claim economic harm, given that the parole program had decreased the overall number of migrants entering the U.S.

The ruling comes at a time when the Biden administration had been preparing to end the controversial Title 42 policy, which had barred migrants from seeking asylum at U.S. borders due to the pandemic.

Proponents of the programme argue that many of the migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela are fleeing oppressive governments and dangerous conditions in their home countries.

The case is one of several ongoing legal challenges to the Biden administration’s immigration policies. The ruling does not affect the humanitarian parole process for Ukrainian migrants, which remains uncontested.