The United States announced on Friday that it will be terminating the legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants, giving them just a few weeks to depart the country. This significant move aligns with President Donald Trump’s commitment to execute the largest deportation campaign in US history, primarily aimed at curbing immigration from Latin American nations.
The legal order impacts approximately 532,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, who initially entered the United States under a program established by former President Joe Biden in October 2022 and later expanded in January 2023. This program, known as the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV), allowed for temporary entry into the United States for up to 30,000 migrants per month from these countries.
The termination of legal protections is set to take effect 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security publishes its order in the Federal Register, which is scheduled for Tuesday. Consequently, immigrants who were part of the CHNV program must leave the United States by April 24 unless they secure another immigration status that permits them to remain in the country.
In response to the announcement, Welcome.US, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals seeking refuge in the United States, has urged those impacted by the termination to seek immediate legal counsel from an immigration lawyer. This recommendation comes as many face uncertainty regarding their immigration status and potential deportation.
While President Biden initially promoted the CHNV program as a safe and humane solution to alleviate pressure on the overcrowded US-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security has emphasized that the program was always intended to be temporary. In the official order, the department stated, “Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone does not provide a basis for obtaining any immigration status, nor does it constitute an admission to the United States.”
Nicolette Glazer, an immigration lawyer based in California, highlighted the extensive ramifications of the order, noting that it will significantly impact the majority of the half a million immigrants who entered the US under the CHNV scheme. With only 75,000 affirmative asylum applications filed, most CHNV parolees will find themselves lacking legal status, work permits, and at risk of removal from the country. Glazer expressed her concerns on social media, stating, “The chaos will be unreal.”
Karen Tumlin, director of the Justice Action Center, an immigrant rights group, criticized the Trump administration for breaking the federal government’s commitment to the hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their sponsors in the United States. She stated, “Suddenly revoking the lawful status of hundreds of thousands of CHNV humanitarian parole recipients is going to cause needless chaos and heartbreak for families and communities across the country.”
In a related move, Trump recently invoked rare wartime legislation to facilitate the deportation of over 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, which has agreed to imprison migrants and even US citizens at a discount. This development comes amidst a backdrop of over seven million Venezuelans fleeing their country in the last decade due to the catastrophic economic situation under leftist leader Nicolas Maduro, who faces severe sanctions from Washington.
This recent decision by the US government marks a pivotal moment in immigration policy and highlights the ongoing challenges faced by immigrants from Latin America. As the situation continues to evolve, the implications for these communities remain profound.
