The United States has announced the termination of legal status for over 500,000 immigrants, ordering them to leave the country within weeks.
The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s promise to execute the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history, primarily targeting Latin American nations.
The order affects approximately 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. under a humanitarian parole scheme launched by former President Joe Biden in October 2022 and expanded in January 2023.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the affected immigrants will lose their legal protection 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register, scheduled for Tuesday.
This means those under the program must leave by April 24 unless they secure another legal status allowing them to remain.
Advocates raise concerns over humanitarian impact
Immigrant advocacy groups have condemned the decision, warning of the significant consequences for those affected.
US, an organization supporting refugees, urged individuals impacted by the order to seek legal assistance immediately.
Karen Tumlin, director of the Justice Action Center, criticized the policy shift, stating,
“The Trump administration is breaking a commitment the federal government made to the hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their sponsors in the United States.” She warned of “needless chaos and heartbreak for families and communities across the country.”
Legal and Policy Perspectives
The Biden administration had introduced the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) program as a structured pathway for migrants seeking safety in the U.S.
The program allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month to enter the country legally for a two-year period. President Biden promoted it as a “safe and humane” alternative to unauthorized border crossings.
However, DHS emphasized in its announcement that the scheme was never intended to be permanent.
“Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status, nor does it constitute an admission to the United States,” the department’s order stated.
Immigration lawyer Nicolette Glazer noted that many CHNV program participants may now face removal due to their inability to adjust their status.
“Only 75,000 affirmative asylum applications were filed, so the vast majority of the CHNV parolees will find themselves without status, work permits, and subject to removal,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Broader Immigration Crackdown Under Trump
The policy shift is part of Trump’s broader strategy to curb immigration. Last weekend, he invoked a rare wartime legislation to deport more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, which has agreed to imprison foreign criminals, including U.S. citizens, at a discount.
As the April 24 deadline approaches, immigrant rights groups are mobilizing legal aid efforts while affected families face an uncertain future. Advocates continue to call on the administration to reconsider the policy, citing its disruptive humanitarian impact.
