Washington: A federal judge in the United States has ordered the Trump administration to lift its pause on immigration applications. The decision, announced on Wednesday, prevents hundreds of thousands of immigrants from losing their legal status, a move deemed against the public interest.

According to Anadolu Agency, US District Judge Indira Talwani's ruling ensures protection for immigrants from Afghanistan, Latin America, Ukraine, and other nations. These individuals' legal rights to live and work in the US were under threat due to measures implemented by the Trump administration.

The ruling focuses on immigration programs that utilize parole, a legal mechanism permitting temporary entry on humanitarian or public interest grounds. The Trump administration aimed to restrict these programs, accusing the former Biden administration of excessive use.

Earlier in April, Judge Talwani had issued a similar ruling, safeguarding a parole program that enabled over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to reside and work legally in the US. This program was also affected by the pause.

In her order, Talwani emphasized that it is not in the public interest to create a situation where hundreds of thousands of individuals would become unlawfully present in the country over several months. Such a scenario would prevent them from legally working in their communities or supporting themselves and their families.

Talwani further noted that the Trump administration's broad attempt to revoke protections for those already granted status represented a significant escalation, potentially leading to widespread disruption.