Trump’s promise to secure America’s borders is gaining momentum as his administration takes bold action against Biden-era immigration policies that allowed hundreds of thousands to enter the country unchecked. His latest move? Revoking legal status for over half a million aliens living here.
At a glance:
• Trump administration is revoking legal status for over 532,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered under Biden’s loosely vetted humanitarian parole program
• Affected migrants have until April 24, 2025 to self-deport or face arrest and deportation by ICE
• Biden’s program allowed up to 30,000 people monthly from these four countries to enter with work permits
• DHS describes the termination as “a return to common-sense policies, public safety, and America First”
• Legal challenges have already been filed against the Trump administration’s decision
Restoring Border Security
The Department of Homeland Security announced it will revoke the legal status of approximately 532,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered the United States under a Biden-era sponsorship process. These individuals, who arrived since October 2022, were granted two-year permits to live and work in the country through what the Trump administration has described as a “loosely vetted” humanitarian parole program.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that the program undercut American workers and represented a significant overreach of immigration authority. “The termination of the CHNV parole programs, and the termination of parole for those who exploited it, is a return to common-sense policies, a return to public safety, and a return to America First,” McLaughlin stated in an official department communication.
The revocation will take effect on April 24, 2025, providing a 30-day window for affected migrants to depart the country voluntarily. Those who fail to self-deport within this period will face arrest and deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with migrants encouraged to use the CBP Home smartphone app to register for self-deportation.
Biden’s Failed Immigration Experiment
The Biden administration implemented the controversial program in January 2023, allowing up to 30,000 people monthly from these four countries to enter the U.S. for two years with work eligibility. The program was part of Biden’s broader strategy to encourage legal immigration channels while purportedly addressing illegal border crossings, though border security under his administration reached crisis levels with record numbers of illegal crossings.
DHS officials noted that “parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status.” The Trump administration cited “broad abuse” of the humanitarian parole system as a key reason for terminating the program, which was implemented without congressional approval or proper vetting procedures.
The decision reflects President Trump’s campaign promises to end what his supporters view as exploitative immigration pathways and to restore order to an immigration system that became increasingly chaotic during the Biden years. Trump has consistently prioritized deporting those in the country illegally while creating a merit-based immigration system that benefits American citizens.
Legal Challenges and Enforcement Plans
Predictably, left-wing activists and immigration lawyers have already filed legal challenges against the Trump administration’s decision. Karen Tumlin, an immigration advocate, criticized the move as “reckless, cruel and counterproductive,” claiming it would “cause needless chaos and heartbreak for families and communities across the country.”
Despite these challenges, DHS has confirmed that it retains the authority to target migrants for arrest before the 30-day period ends, especially focusing on those who have not applied for other immigration benefits. The department is particularly concerned with individuals from Venezuela and Nicaragua, as these countries have refused to accept deportation flights.
Mexico had previously agreed under the Biden administration to take back a certain number of people from these countries, as the U.S. faced challenges deporting them directly to their home nations. The Trump administration is expected to negotiate more stringent agreements with these countries to ensure proper repatriation of their citizens.
