The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced it will revoke legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, making them eligible for deportation within the next month.
The order affects approximately 532,000 migrants who arrived in the US since October 2022 under the humanitarian parole program with financial sponsors. These individuals were granted two-year permits to live and work in the US. However, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed their legal status will expire on April 24, or 30 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.
This policy shift impacts migrants already in the US under the parole program and follows the Trump administration’s move to end what it called “broad abuse” of the humanitarian parole system. This legal tool has historically allowed individuals fleeing war or political instability to enter the US temporarily.
During his campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Since taking office, his administration has also worked to eliminate legal immigration pathways that previously allowed migrants to enter and remain in the US
Before this new directive, CHNV parole beneficiaries could stay in the US until their permits expired. However, the administration had already halted processing their applications for asylum, visas, and other legal status adjustments. The decision has already faced legal challenges, with a group of American citizens and immigrants filing a lawsuit against the administration to reinstate humanitarian parole for affected nationalities.
Under the Biden administration, up to 30,000 migrants per month from the four affected countries were allowed into the US for two years with work eligibility. In exchange, Mexico agreed to accept the same number of deported migrants, as the US had limited deportation options for these nationalities.
Cuba typically accepted one deportation flight per month. Venezuela and Nicaragua refused to take any deportees, as both countries remain US adversaries. Haiti, facing ongoing turmoil, accepted several deportation flights, especially after the 2021 migrant surge in Del Rio, Texas.
Since late 2022, over 500,000 migrants have entered the US under the CHNV program, which was part of the Biden administration’s strategy to encourage legal migration while cracking down on illegal border crossings.