A federal judge who recently blocked President Trump’s attempt to end an immigration parole program from the Biden era is under growing scrutiny not just for her ruling but also for her political affiliations and connections to a controversial organization with alleged ties to communist China.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in 2013, issued a decision stopping the Trump administration from terminating the CHNV program, which has granted temporary legal status to more than 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
As conservatives voice concerns over the ruling, newly uncovered records are shedding more light on Judge Talwani’s political background—and drawing increased attention.
Public documents show that Talwani volunteered for at least four Democratic campaigns, including those of Deval Patrick, Barack Obama, Martha Coakley, and Elizabeth Warren. Her activities included door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, and holding campaign signs, with involvement in support of Obama’s 2008 presidential bid and Warren’s 2012 Senate run.
The documents were uncovered by Natalie Winters, a White House correspondent and co-host of Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast.
Winters noted that the CPA “has deep ties to the CCP,” and was founded by operatives with Maoist backgrounds. One founder, Fay Wong, even praised the Chinese Communist revolution, calling it “very inspiring.”
The resurfacing of these political details comes alongside another source of controversy: Judge Talwani’s past association with the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), an organization with documented ties to pro-Chinese Communist Party causes. In 2012—just one year before her nomination to the federal bench—Talwani accepted the CPA’s “Workers Justice Award,” an honor she continues to list among her official credentials, Winters noted.
In a 41-page opinion issued earlier this month, Talwani effectively halted the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back the CHNV parole program. The Biden-era initiative permits nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to remain in the U.S. for up to two years, provided they pass background checks and have U.S.-based sponsors. And while Biden was able to expand it under his authority as president, Talwani doesn’t believe Trump has the same authority to reverse Biden’s expansion.
“If their parole status is allowed to lapse, Plaintiffs will be faced with two unfavorable options: continue following the law and leave the country on their own, or await removal proceedings,” Talwani wrote. “For some Plaintiffs, leaving will also cause family separation.”
Talwani’s judicial record has often aligned with progressive positions, especially on labor and immigration matters. Her prior involvement in Democratic campaigns—most notably her support for Elizabeth Warren and Barack Obama—has intensified concerns among Trump supporters, who argue the judiciary is being used as a political tool.
Meanwhile, Democrats are fully committed to securing the return of Kilmar Abregos Garcia, a documented MS-13 gang member, who the administration sent back to his home country of El Salvador earlier this month.
However, a seasoned Democratic strategist suggests that this strategy is unlikely to win over the American electorate.
During a Friday appearance on CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt, Mo Elleithee reminded Democrats that they “don’t know all of the details about this guy,” and warned against making him a “martyr.” Rather, he advised party members to focus more on how President Trump is allegedly “chipping away at our rights.”
“Let’s not make him a martyr. Let’s make this about the fact that Donald Trump and his administration are chipping away at our rights on a daily basis,” Elleithee said during a panel discussion.
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