US to "Immediately" Seek Deportation of Over 500,000 Immigrants

AFP | Washington, United States
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The United States has announced the termination of legal protections for approximately 532,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, who were admitted under the CHNV program. This program, which began in October 2022 under President Joe Biden and expanded in January 2023, allowed entry for up to 30,000 migrants per month from these countries.

Immigration attorney Nicolette Glazer stated that the move would impact the "vast majority" of individuals who entered under the scheme. The order mandates that immigrants who entered the country under this program must leave by April 24 unless they secure alternative immigration status that permits them to remain.

The Department of Homeland Security emphasized that this decision was made in accordance with the legal framework for the program. Immigrants who were granted parole under the program will lose their legal status 30 days after the official order is published in the Federal Register.

The move follows President Trump's large-scale deportation agenda, which has focused on curbing immigration, particularly from Latin American countries with poor human rights records. The Biden administration had originally touted the CHNV program as a "safe and humane" alternative to alleviate pressure at the US-Mexico border.

Karen Tumlin, director of the immigrant rights group Justice Action Center, expressed concern, calling the situation "chaotic" and potentially heartbreaking for families affected by the sudden legal changes. She criticized the decision as an abrupt reversal of commitments made by the federal government to immigrants who were granted parole status.

The order is expected to leave many individuals without status or work permits, creating uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Tumlin warned that this could lead to widespread disruption for immigrant communities.

As of now, the future of these immigrants remains uncertain, with many scrambling to find a way to stay in the US or face deportation by the April deadline.