At first, the Trump Administration insisted it would deport “bad hombres,” undocumented citizens with violent criminal records. That subsequently changed to undocumented citizens with any criminal record. And then the floodgates opened wider to all undocumented citizens regardless of their record. But the administration isn’t finished yet. Added to that list are non-citizens with legal status.
Reuters reports U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has announced plans to revoke the temporary legal status of approximately 530,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela residing in the United States. This decision, which will take effect on April 24, marks a significant escalation in Trump’s immigration crackdown efforts. The move effectively ends a two-year parole program initiated by former President Joe Biden, which allowed these migrants to enter the U.S. via air travel if they had sponsors in the country.
- Program Initiation: The parole program was established by President Biden to provide a legal pathway for migrants from these countries, aiming to reduce illegal border crossing.
- Trump’s Immigration Policies: Since taking office, Trump has intensified immigration enforcement, arguing that Biden’s parole programs exceeded federal law limits. An executive order on January 20 mandated the termination of all categorical parole programs.
- Potential Consequences: Migrants losing their parole status may face expedited deportation processes. The decision could expose many to deportation risks if they choose to remain in the U.S.
This action is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to rescind “legal” protections for over 1.8 million migrants who entered the U.S. under temporary humanitarian parole programs initiated during Biden’s term. Additionally, Trump is considering revoking the parole status for around 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia, potentially as early as April.
