The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to revoke temporary legal status for more than half a million migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
A federal notice warns that these migrants must leave the country before their permits and deportation protections expire on April 24. The affected individuals were admitted under the Biden-era CHNV sponsorship program, which created legal migration pathways but was suspended by Trump upon taking office.
It remains unclear how many of these migrants have secured alternative legal status to remain in the U.S.
Initially introduced in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden, the CHNV program first welcomed Venezuelans before expanding to include other nationalities. It allowed sponsored migrants and their families to fly into the U.S. and remain under a temporary immigration status known as parole for up to two years. The Biden administration defended the initiative as a means to reduce illegal crossings at the southern border and improve security screenings.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized the previous administration's handling of the program, stating that it "granted migrants opportunities to compete for American jobs, undercut U.S. workers, forced civil servants to promote flawed programs despite evidence of fraud, and then blamed Republicans in Congress for the resulting chaos and crime."
Despite the broad cancellation, the 35-page Federal Register notice indicates that some migrants under CHNV could be permitted to stay on a "case-by-case basis."
Trump is also evaluating the potential termination of temporary legal protections for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who sought refuge in the U.S. due to the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The CHNV program enabled 213,000 Haitians to enter the U.S. amid worsening conditions in their home country. Additionally, it provided entry to more than 120,700 Venezuelans, 110,900 Cubans, and over 93,000 Nicaraguans before its termination.
Further tightening immigration policies, DHS recently announced it would end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 500,000 Haitians in August. TPS, granted to migrants from countries facing crises such as war or natural disasters, was also revoked for Venezuelans—though this decision is now facing legal challenges.
Since returning to office in January, Trump’s immigration policies have encountered significant legal obstacles, setting the stage for continued legal and political battles.