The Trump Administration Cancels Legal Status for More than 530,000 Migrants from Four Nations.
The temporary protections for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela will conclude on April 24, 2025.
The administration of President Donald Trump has unveiled plans to revoke the temporary legal status of around 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
This decision, as outlined in a notice from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will end the two-year humanitarian parole granted by the prior administration, taking effect on April 24, 2025. The individuals affected entered the United States through the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) humanitarian parole program, which was launched in October 2022. This program allowed migrants from these nations to live and work in the U.S. for up to two years, contingent upon having American sponsors.
According to DHS, the primary goal of the CHNV program was to improve border security and curb illegal immigration by providing lawful entry options.
However, the current administration has determined that the conditions justifying such parole have dissipated.
As a result, migrants without a lawful reason to remain in the United States must leave before the April 24 deadline.
Failure to comply may lead to removal proceedings.
The CHNV program enabled the entry of over 530,000 individuals: around 213,000 Haitians, 120,700 Venezuelans, 110,900 Cubans, and 93,000 Nicaraguans.
In addition to ending the CHNV program, the administration is also contemplating the revocation of the temporary legal status for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who sought asylum in the U.S. due to the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The DHS has noted that some individuals currently under the CHNV program might be allowed to stay in the U.S. on a case-by-case basis.
However, those without legal grounds to remain are urged to depart before their parole expiration date to steer clear of enforcement actions.
This shift in policy signifies a major alteration in U.S. immigration strategy, affecting hundreds of thousands of migrants who have created lives in the country under the humanitarian initiatives of the previous administration.