U.S. Supreme Court Allows Termination of CHNV Parole Program

by nick venable, intern and xavier warren, intern

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in May allowing the Department of Homeland Security to terminate what is known as the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan (CHNV) Parole Program, eliminating the legal status of more than 500,000 people living in the United States.

What is the CHNV Parole Program?

The CHNV Parole Program was created under the Biden administration. It allowed people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to apply for humanitarian parole, which would grant them permission to live and work in the United States. The purpose was to encourage “lawful, safe, and orderly means of traveling to the United States” for citizens of those countries fleeing humanitarian crises. As a part of the application process, applicants needed to find a sponsor within the United States and complete background checks. If parole was granted, they could live in the U.S. for two years, and potentially seek another pathway to permanent lawful status.

What happened?

In March of this year, DHS attempted to end the CHNV Parole Program entirely, revoking the legal status of everyone residing in the U.S. through the program. In its announcement of the termination, the department stated that parolees who had not obtained a legal basis to remain in the U.S. would have to leave the country before their parole expired.

A lawsuit challenging the order was filed in a district court, leading to the decision by a judge to block the termination of the program. However, on May 30 the Supreme Court stayed the District Court’s order, allowing the federal government to proceed. Although the case now goes back to the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, DHS has already issued parole termination notices, and the roughly 523,000 people allowed in the country through the CHNV program are at risk of being removed if they do not comply with the order to leave before their parole expires.

How is TNJFON helping?

Obtaining humanitarian immigration relief is a difficult journey, and TNJFON remains committed to helping our clients navigate the intentionally-complex immigration system every step of the way. In this time of an ever-changing immigration landscape, we are dedicated to keeping our immigrant neighbors and the broader community informed of the most recent developments.

How can you help?

Keeping yourself informed and up-to-date is the first step; there is a lot of misinformation surrounding immigration, and it is important to depend on reliable sources. Additionally, if you have the means, you can directly support our fight for the rights of immigrants by making a recurring donation to TNJFON.