In a major shift in U.S. immigration policy, the government has announced that it will terminate the legal status of approximately 532,000 immigrants, leaving them with only weeks to leave the country.
This decision impacts Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived under a program initiated by President Joe Biden’s administration in October 2022.
The program, officially called “Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans,” allowed these migrants to enter the U.S. temporarily, providing legal protection for two years.
The program was expanded in January 2023 to offer a safe and structured entry for up to 30,000 migrants per month from these countries, many of which have faced political and economic turmoil, as well as human rights violations.
However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has now announced that the immigrants enrolled in the program will lose their legal protection 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register, which is expected to happen on Tuesday.
This means that unless they secure another immigration status, these individuals must leave the country by April 24.
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The decision has caused alarm among many affected individuals, prompting organizations like Welcome.US, which assists migrants, to urge those impacted by the order to seek legal advice immediately.
The group emphasized that individuals facing potential deportation should consult with immigration lawyers to explore options.
Biden’s administration had hailed the program as a “safe and humane” way to manage the U.S.-Mexico border, offering a legal pathway for migrants from these troubled nations.
But DHS has clarified that the program was always intended to be temporary, with the term “parole” indicating that it was never meant to serve as a permanent basis for immigration status.
In addition to this, former President Donald Trump made headlines last week by invoking wartime legislation to deport alleged members of a Venezuelan gang.
Trump has also promised to carry out a large-scale deportation campaign, focusing on reducing immigration from Latin American countries.
