Judge grants Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss a preliminary injunction for extra eligibility

PITTSBORO, Miss. (AP) — In saying “the NCAA ignored its own rules,” a Mississippi judge granted Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss a preliminary injunction Thursday against college athletics' governing body, allowing him to receive an extra year of eligibility so he can play next season.

The NCAA denied Chambliss' waiver request Jan. 9, and after Chambliss appealed, the organization's Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee upheld the denial on Feb. 4.

Judge Robert Whitwell took about 90 minutes to explain his decision that he agreed with Chambliss’ argument that the player’s medical history was not properly considered by the NCAA. The 23-year-old Chambliss has been in college for five years, but was healthy enough to play just three years.

“We appreciate the thoughtful consideration given to this matter and for the court's recognition of the circumstances surrounding Trinidad's case,” Ole Miss' athletic department said in a statement. "We believe this outcome affirms what we have maintained throughout this process that Trinidad deserves the opportunity to compete and complete his collegiate career on the field.

“Trinidad has demonstrated tremendous perseverance, character and commitment to his teammates, this university and college football.”

Whitwell said Chambliss would have received “irreparable harm” had the NCAA's ruling been upheld, but that the organization will not be damaged by allowing him to play.

Chambliss and Ole Miss submitted nearly 91 pages to the NCAA to document how medical issues prevented him from playing two years, the judge said. The NCAA, the judge said, didn't properly take those records into account and denied the waiver request “on pure semantics.”

“Trinidad Chambliss has demonstrated based on the evidence presented that he is entitled to an additional year at the University of Mississippi,” Whitwell said. “The NCAA has failed in its argument to withhold that right.”

Though the NCAA released a statement expressing frustration with the legal system, the organization did not say whether it would appeal the ruling.

“This decision in a state court illustrates the impossible situation created by differing court decisions that serve to undermine rules agreed to by the same NCAA members who later challenge them in court," the NCAA said. "We will continue to defend the NCAA’s eligibility rules against repeated attempts to rob future generations of the opportunity to compete in college and experience the life-changing opportunities only college sports can create.

“The NCAA and its member schools are making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but the patchwork of state laws and inconsistent, conflicting court decisions make partnering with Congress essential to provide stability for current and future college athletes.”

Chambliss began his college career at Ferris State in 2021, redshirted his first season and did not play in 2022 because of medical reasons.

He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of this past season.

Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes (66.1%) for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and three interceptions for Ole Miss (13-2), which set a school record for wins, including two after making the College Football Playoff for the first time. He ran for 527 yards and eight more TDs.

The Rebels lost 31-27 to Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 8.

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FILE - Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throws during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Miami, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An immigration judge has dismissed the deportation case against a landscaper who was arrested in Southern California last year, and the father of three U.S. Marines is now on a path toward legal permanent residency in the U.S.

The June detention of Narciso Barranco, who came to the U.S. from Mexico in the 1990s but does not have legal status, caught widespread attention as the crackdown on immigration by President Donald Trump’s administration drew scrutiny and protests.

Witnesses uploaded videos of the arrest in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County. Federal agents struggled with Barranco and pinned him to the ground outside an IHOP restaurant where he had been clearing weeds.

Barranco was taken to a Los Angeles detention center and placed in deportation proceedings. In July, he was released on a $3,000 bond and ordered to wear an ankle monitor.

In a Jan. 28 order terminating the deportation case, Judge Kristin S. Piepmeier said that Barranco, 49, had provided evidence that he was the father of three U.S.-born sons in the military, making him eligible to seek lawful status.

“I feel happy,” Barranco said in a phone interview in Spanish. “Thank God I don’t have that weight on top of me.”

Barranco said he is still staying mostly at home and not taking any chances going out until his legal paperwork has been finalized.

The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that it would appeal the judge’s decision, which was first reported by the New York Times.

Barranco's lawyer Lisa Ramirez said her client feels “extreme relief” now that immigration officers have removed his ankle monitor and discontinued his check-ins.

“The aggressive nature of the apprehension, it was traumatic,” Ramirez said Thursday. “Mr. Barranco has had zero criminal history. They came after him because he was a brown gardener in the streets of Santa Ana.”

Ramirez said Barranco has applied for Parole in Place, a program that protects the parents of U.S. military personnel from deportation and helps them obtain permanent residency. If that petition is approved, Barranco will receive a work permit. She estimated the process could take six months or more.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reiterated previous government claims that Barranco refused to comply with commands and swung his weed trimmer at an agent.

"The agents took appropriate action and followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that prioritizes the safety of the public and our officers,” McLaughlin said in Thursday's statement.

His son Alejandro Barranco told The Associated Press in June that his father did not attack anyone, had no criminal record and is kind and hardworking. The U.S. Marine Corps veteran said the use of force was unnecessary and differed greatly from his military training. He aided the U.S. military’s evacuation of personnel and Afghan allies from Afghanistan in 2021.

Alejandro left the Marine Corps in 2023. His two brothers are currently active-duty Marines.

Associated Press writer Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, California, contributed.

Alejandro Barranco, the son of a man detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks at a Democratic Steering and Policy Committee hearing on Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)