WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security revoked temporary work and residency authorizations for more than 530,000 immigrants under a program the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end in a late May ruling.
The program protected immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela from deportation and provided them work permits. The program is often referred to as CHNV, an acronym that references the immigrants’ countries of origin.
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, said immigrants were “poorly vetted” through “disastrous” programs that allowed them to compete for jobs against American workers.
“Ending the CHNV parole programs, as well as the paroles of those who exploited it, will be a necessary return to common-sense policies, a return to public safety, and a return to America First,” McLaughlin said.
The program is one way the Trump administration is restricting entry into the United States. Other strategies include suspending asylum applications, hardening barriers along the southern border, deporting undocumented immigrants and restricting travel from 12 countries.
The Biden administration created the program in 2022. But DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced in March she was canceling the program because of concerns the immigrants would compete for government services and jobs, and because, she said, some of them were criminals.
At least three lawsuits challenged Noem’s decision. But the Supreme Court ruled May 30 that Noem could end the program.
The impact of the decision is uncertain because immigrants could apply for legal status under other programs.
DHS is notifying immigrants known as parolees, because their status is temporary, that if they no longer have a lawful status to remain, they must leave the country immediately. If they get stopped, they could be deported.
The department has offered undocumented immigrants $1,000 to leave voluntarily through the CBP Home Mobile App.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DHS ends temporary Biden-era protections for Cubans, Venezuelans
