US Department of Homeland Security to end legal protection for over 500,000 migrants from four nations

Legal status to expire for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday its plan to terminate legal protection for more than 500,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These individuals, who arrived in the U.S. under a humanitarian parole program since October 2022, now face potential deportation within a month.

According to DHS, the affected population—estimated at 532,000—was permitted to live and work in the US for two years through a program that required financial sponsors. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed their legal status would officially expire on April 24, or 30 days following the publication of the decision in the Federal Register.

Scope of the policy change

This policy shift targets individuals already residing in the US under the humanitarian parole framework. It reflects a broader strategy previously initiated during the Trump administration, which aimed to reduce what it described as misuse of the parole authority. Parole has traditionally served as a legal mechanism allowing temporary US entry for people fleeing instability or conflict.

The administration emphasized that parole does not grant a path to permanent residency. “Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status,” DHS clarified. Individuals lacking another lawful basis to remain in the country are expected to leave by the end of their parole period.

Impact on legal pathways and ongoing legal disputes

Previously, recipients of humanitarian parole were eligible to stay in the US until their status expired. However, government processing for other immigration benefits, including asylum and visas, had already been suspended.

This recent move is facing legal challenges. Civil rights groups and immigration advocates have filed lawsuits against the termination of the parole programs. One case, brought by a coalition of American citizens and immigrants, seeks to restore the original protections for affected migrants.

Karen Tumlin, director of the Justice Action Center, one of the plaintiff organizations, criticized the decision as harmful and unnecessary. “This action will cause needless chaos and heartbreak for families and communities across the country,” she said, calling it “reckless, cruel and counterproductive.”

Background of the Humanitarian Parole Program (CHNV)

Under the Biden administration, up to 30,000 migrants from the four countries were permitted each month to enter the US legally for a period of two years, with authorization to work. In exchange, Mexico agreed to accept the same number of returnees from those nations, as the US faced difficulty deporting individuals to countries that were unwilling to cooperate.

• Cuba typically accepted one US deportation flight per month.
• Venezuela and Nicaragua declined to accept deportees, making enforcement difficult.
• Haiti, despite frequent deportation flights, remains mired in political and economic crises, affecting overall US deportation logistics.

Since late 2022, over 500,000 migrants have arrived under this initiative, known as CHNV. The program was designed to promote legal migration routes while discouraging unauthorized border crossings.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.

The post US Department of Homeland Security to end legal protection for over 500,000 migrants from four nations appeared first on PGurus.