A federal judge in Massachusetts has blocked a Trump administration policy that terminated temporary parole status for hundreds of thousands of migrants who entered the U.S. lawfully through a Biden-era mobile app. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reinstate the legal status of migrants who used the CBP One app to schedule appointments at ports of entry beginning in January 2023.
More than 900,000 people entered the U.S. through the CBP One application, which granted them temporary parole allowing them to remain in the country for two years and receive work authorization. The Trump administration had sent an email in April 2025 to parole recipients, instructing them to leave the U.S. immediately or face deportation. The judge’s order follows a class-action lawsuit filed by immigrants and advocacy groups, arguing that the mass termination of parole was unlawful.
Judge’s Ruling and Legal Arguments
Judge Burroughs ruled that the Trump administration’s decision to terminate parole exceeded its statutory authority and violated U.S. immigration law. The ruling states that the agency’s actions contradicted its own regulations and were ‘patently unlawful.’ The judge’s order voids the Trump administration’s decision and restores the legal status of those who entered under the Biden-era program.
Government Response
The DHS has disputed the ruling, calling it ‘blatant judicial activism’ and asserting that the agency had the authority to revoke parole. A DHS spokesperson stated that the decision to cancel parole was part of efforts to secure the border and protect national security. The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling.
Policy Background
The CBP One app was introduced by the Biden administration in 2023 as a way to manage asylum seekers and reduce illegal border crossings. The program allowed migrants to schedule appointments at ports of entry, where they could apply for humanitarian parole. The Trump administration, upon taking office, repurposed the app and renamed it CBP Home, shifting its focus to facilitating self-deportations of those in the U.S. illegally.
Impact and Uncertainty
It remains unclear how many of the 900,000 migrants whose parole was terminated have already been deported or obtained other legal statuses. The ruling could affect hundreds of thousands of individuals, though the exact number remains uncertain. The Trump administration had argued that the Biden-era program was unauthorized and violated immigration law by allowing entry outside traditional legal pathways.