Trump Revokes Legal Status of 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, Forcing Families into Crisis

Washington, D.C. – The Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas (CEDA) condemns the Trump Administration’s decision to revoke the legal status of more than 530,000 Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan individuals, who entered the country legally through a Department of Homeland Security program formally known as the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV). This decision will throw them and hundreds of thousands of families into turmoil and uncertainty. With this move, the administration sends a clear message: they are not opposed to “illegal” immigration, as they claim–they are opposed to all immigration, including regular immigration, which is a bedrock of the United States of America.

The CHNV program was designed to provide a “lawful and streamlined way” for CHNV citizens seeking temporary protection to live and work in the United States for a period of two years. The program provided critical stability for families, allowing individuals fleeing violence, persecution, and economic collapse to rebuild their lives safely. Since its inception, the CHNV program has given hundreds of thousands of migrants the ability to work legally, pay taxes, and contribute to their communities.

“The CHNV program is one of the most successful migration policies in recent history,” said Maria José Espinosa, Executive Director of CEDA. “It has provided safety, stability, and opportunity to hundreds of thousands of people who came here legally, worked hard, and built better futures for their families. Ending this program is not just cruel—it’s counterproductive to the stated policy of the U.S. administration to curb irregular migration into the United States.”

Thanks to this policy, irregular migration to the US was dramatically curbed. For example, irregular Cuban migration to the U.S. Southern border dropped from 223,028 to 13,686 (a 93% decrease) from FY2022 to FY2024. Despite its success, in October 2024, the Biden Administration announced that it would not renew parole for CHNV recipients, requiring them to seek alternative legal avenues to maintain their status in the U.S. Now, the Trump Administration has taken an even more drastic step, revoking the legal status of current CHNV parolees altogether. 

Ending the CHNV program will not deter migration—it will only force people into impossible and dangerous situations. It will separate families, devastate communities, and leave thousands of migrants with no safe options.  Furthermore, it will risk putting the United States in the position of violating its domestic and international legal obligations by risking refoulement, as returned individuals may be at risk of persecution. 

CEDA urges policymakers to restore and expand the CHNV program rather than dismantle it. “Maintaining and improving legal migration pathways like CHNV is not just a moral imperative—it is a pragmatic one,” added Espinosa. “Forcing people into the shadows and tearing families apart is not a solution. It is a crisis that our leaders must address with urgency.”

About CEDA:
The Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas fosters regional collaboration to enhance the rights, well-being, and dignity of people across the region. Through research, advocacy, and coalition-building, CEDA works to advance humane and effective policies that support migrants and strengthen cross-border relationships.

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