The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced plans to revoke legal protections for approximately 532,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, potentially leading to their deportation within a month. These individuals arrived in the United States with financial sponsors and were granted two-year work permits under a humanitarian parole program initiated since October 2022. According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, their legal status will end on April 24 or 30 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.
This policy shift impacts those who entered the U.S. under the humanitarian parole program, previously established as a means to allow temporary residency for individuals from war-torn or unstable countries. The decision is rooted in an earlier move by the Trump administration, which aimed to eliminate what it termed the “broad abuse” of such humanitarian measures.
Historically, under this program, beneficiaries could remain in the U.S. until their parole expired. However, the current administration has ceased processing applications for asylum, visas, or other requests that might extend their stay. The DHS has clarified that those without lawful grounds to stay in the U.S. must leave before their parole expires, asserting that parole is meant to be temporary and not a pathway to permanent status.
The new order has already faced legal challenges. A group of American citizens and immigrants has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to reinstate the humanitarian parole for these nationalities. Advocacy groups have expressed serious concerns about the ramifications of the policy, with Karen Tumlin from the Justice Action Center describing the decision as reckless and cruel, predicting it would lead to chaos for families and communities across the nation.
Under the Biden administration, the U.S. previously permitted up to 30,000 individuals monthly from the affected countries to enter and work for two years, in tandem with arrangements for Mexico to accept a similar number in return. While Cuba generally accepts deportation flights, Nicaragua and Venezuela have refused to do so, complicating deportation efforts. Haiti has accepted several flights but faces significant domestic turmoil, further obstructing U.S. deportation activities.
Since late 2022, the humanitarian policy has facilitated the arrival of more than half a million individuals, a part of a broader strategy to encourage legal immigration pathways while enforcing stricter measures against illegal crossings at the border. The forthcoming changes in legal status for these individuals form a pivotal aspect of the ongoing debates surrounding immigration policies in the U.S.