The administration of US President Donald Trump has announced plans to revoke the temporary legal status for over half a million migrants hailing from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
These migrants have been advised to exit the country before their permits and protections against deportation are nullified on April 24, as specified in a notice released by the federal government.
The 530,000 migrants entered the US through a sponsorship initiative called CHNV implemented during the Biden administration, which aimed to create legal migration opportunities. Trump suspended this program upon his inauguration.
It remains uncertain how many of these individuals have managed to obtain alternative legal statuses to remain in the US.
The CHNV program was initiated by Democratic President Joe Biden in 2022, initially applicable to Venezuelans before its scope expanded to include other nationalities.
This program permitted migrants and their immediate family members to enter the US if they had American sponsors and allowed them to stay under a temporary immigration status called parole for two years.
The Biden administration had posited that CHNV would mitigate illegal crossings at the southern border and facilitate improved vetting processes for individuals entering the country.
The Department of Homeland Security recently criticized the previous administration, stating that the program did not achieve its objectives.
In its statement, the agency indicated that Biden officials had “provided them [migrants] with opportunities to vie for American jobs at the expense of American workers; compelled career civil servants to endorse the programs despite identifying fraud; and subsequently blamed Congressional Republicans for the ensuing disorder and resulting crime”.
Nonetheless, the 35-page notice published in the Federal Register mentioned that some individuals currently in the US under CHNV may be permitted to stay on a “case-by-case basis”.
Trump is also weighing the possibility of revoking the temporary legal status of approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who sought refuge in the US amid the conflict with Russia.
CHNV reportedly facilitated the entry of 213,000 Haitians into the US in response to worsening conditions in their home country.
Additionally, over 120,700 Venezuelans, 110,900 Cubans, and more than 93,000 Nicaraguans were granted entry to the US under the program before its termination by Trump.
Last month, the DHS announced it would cease another immigration designation, temporary protected status (TPS), for 500,000 Haitians residing in the US as of August.
TPS was provided to nationals from certain countries experiencing hazardous conditions, including armed conflict or environmental crises.
DHS also suspended TPS for Venezuelans in the US, although this decision is presently facing a legal challenge.
Since assuming office in January, Trump’s immigration policies have faced numerous legal challenges.
