At the end of 2022, the government of President Donald Trump indefinitely froze migration applications for more than 500,000 people who arrived in the U.S. through programs established by his successor, Joe Biden. These programs granted a temporary two-year permit to live and work in the country, aiming to provide a legal entry for the beneficiary migrants.
An internal document from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also orders the freezing of pending applications from those seeking to enroll in these programs and obtain 'humanitarian parole.' The measure affects beneficiaries of programs such as CHNV (for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Haiti), United for Ukraine (for Ukrainian citizens), and the family reunification process for Cubans, Ecuadorians, and Colombians.
More than 800,000 people entered the U.S. through these programs to later access other immigration benefits and programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or asylum. The Trump administration's decision leaves people already in the country under 'parole' in legal limbo as they await the resolution of their immigration processes.
The government justified this action citing alleged concerns over 'fraud or national security' in the current system for granting immigration benefits. So far, the DHS has not responded to requests for comment to confirm the measure, causing uncertainty and concern among those affected by this freeze on migration applications.
