On Thursday, the Trump administration started informing roughly 530,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela that their legal status has been revoked, advising them to self-promote immediately.
The notifications were sent through email to those enrolled in the contentious Biden-era “humanitarian parole” program.
“The Biden administration has misled the American people,” stated Tricia McLaughlin, Deputy Director of Homeland Security.
“They have permitted over half a million vetted individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and their families to enter the U.S. via these flawed parole programs, putting American workers at a disadvantage.”
McLaughlin further commented, “Ending the CHNV parole program and the parole of those who took advantage of it signifies a necessary shift back to sensible policies, enhancing public safety and reinforcing American values.”
The Biden administration introduced its parole initiative in October 2022, allowing up to 30,000 migrants a month from Latin America, starting with Venezuelans.
In January 2023, the program was expanded to include Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans.
This program aimed to deter illegal immigration during an unprecedented surge at the border but was marred by rampant fraud.
There were numerous cases of immigrant sponsors using fake Social Security numbers or phone numbers and applying from the same addresses for thousands of parole applications, which led to a temporary suspension in July of last year during an internal audit.
“We found 100 addresses listed on over 19,000 forms,” a review from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services indicated, noting “many applications came from the same IP address.”
In October 2024, the Biden administration halted new registrations for the program and extensions of temporary legal status.
President Trump swiftly ended the program on his first day in office, preventing new applications from being submitted.
Last month, the Supreme Court upheld the termination of Trump’s initiative.
The DHS announcement encourages immigrants to consider self-promotion through Trump’s CBP Home Mobile App, mentioning that those who opt for this path will receive travel assistance and a $1,000 exit bonus upon returning to their home countries.
