The Trump administration is moving to end the legal status of more than half a million migrants admitted under a Biden-era initiative.
The program, implemented to facilitate legal entry and minimize unlawful migration, faces termination, which could expose migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to potential deportation, CBS News reported.
The initiative, known as CHNV, permitted over 530,000 individuals to enter the United States, provided they had support from American sponsors.
This policy reportedly curbed illegal border crossings by establishing a legitimate means for migration. However, the new administration contends the program was an exploitation of immigration parole rules, halting it shortly after Trump's inauguration.
The proposed changes would revoke the parole status of those migrants unable to secure another form of U.S. immigration status. Not attaining a green card or asylum status could lead to losing eligibility for legal work. This situation would also place individuals at risk of receiving notices to appear in immigration court for potential deportation.
It remains ambiguous how many migrants have successfully transitioned to other immigration channels. The CHNV revocation could disrupt the lives of thousands who followed legal procedures for residency. Tom Jawetz, previously a Department of Homeland Security official under President Biden, criticized the plan. He stated that targeting compliant migrants would complicate the immigration system.
Targeting people who came to the U.S. with sponsors and continue to play by the rules isn't just gratuitously cruel, but it will make our system more chaotic.
Haitians and Venezuelans currently have temporary protection under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs, safeguarding them from immediate deportation. Yet, the Trump administration is questioning these protections for possible overuse. Recently, the administration canceled the TPS extension for Venezuelans.
In the case of Cubans, a Cold War-era law grants unique opportunities for attaining legal permanent residency. This law provides an advantage not seen in the immigration processes for other nationalities. Applying for asylum remains a challenging task, as it requires demonstrating evidence of persecution, a rigorous legal standard.
This decision complements a series of administrative actions designed to restrict both unauthorized and sanctioned immigration.
Since the shift in leadership, several Biden-era policies related to immigration have been rescinded or suspended. These include provisions for refugees and systems for border entry.
The CHNV program once served as a cornerstone for reducing illegal immigration through lawful entry channels.
Presently, however, it is at the center of discussions on immigration policy under the current administration. Continual evaluation and changes in immigration law remain significant under the Trump administration, impacting a wide range of Biden-era initiatives.
With the fate of these migrants now in question, the implications of this repeal are broad and multifaceted. The proposal seeks to uphold new immigration guidelines but has stirred debate on the ethics and practicality of reversing the CHNV program. Migrants affected by this change face an uncertain future in light of these impending policy alterations.
