The Department of Homeland Security has issued a notice of action in the Federal Register, Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, the document is scheduled to be published on March 25, 2025.
This action from DHS is consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order 14165, “Securing Our Borders,” issued on January 20, 2025. The EO establishes a policy of the United States to take all appropriate action to secure the borders of the country and directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to “terminate all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States established in [the President’s] Executive Orders, including the program known as the ‘Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.'”
In total, 532,000 people have held parole status through the CHNV parole programs.
Key Information
DHS is terminating the CHNV parole programs for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela as of April 24, 2025.
According to the notice, CHNV Parolees without a lawful basis to remain in the United States following this termination of the CHNV parole programs must depart the United States before the parole termination date.
Although DHS established the categorical programs for each country through a separate notice in the Federal Register, DHS is announcing the termination of all four parole programs by publishing this single notice in the Federal Register.
Background
During the Biden administration, DHS implemented programs through which citizens or nationals of designated countries, and their immediate family members, could request authorization to travel to the United States in order to be considered for parole into the country. Under these categorical parole programs, potentially eligible beneficiaries were adjudicated on a case-by-case basis, for advance authorization to travel to a U.S. port of entry (“POE”) in the interior of the country to seek a discretionary grant of parole.
Individuals paroled under the CHNV programs, were able to apply for any immigration benefit or status for which they may be eligible, including discretionary employment authorization under the (c)(11) employment eligibility category.
The notice states that on October 4, 2024, the Biden administration announced that there would be no “re-parole” beyond the initial two-year period for the parolees who entered the United States under the CHNV parole programs.
What to Expect
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Individuals who have obtained a lawful immigration status or other basis that permits them to remain in the United States are not required to depart the United States pursuant to this notice.
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Parolees without a lawful basis to remain in the United States following the termination of the CHNV programs must depart the United States before their parole termination date.
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Parole-based employment authorization automatically terminates upon (1) the expiration date specified on the employment authorization document, (2) DHS’s institution of removal proceedings against the alien, or (3) a grant of voluntary departure. Such employment authorization may also be revoked on notice consistent with the procedures in 8 CFR 274a.14(b).
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Aliens departing the United States via land border POEs should report their departure once outside the United States via the CBP Home mobile app.
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Aliens should visit https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/home for more information about voluntarily reporting their departure.
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Following this termination, and consistent with the direction in Executive Order 14165, DHS generally intends to remove promptly aliens who entered the United States under the CHNV parole programs who do not depart the United States before their parole termination date and do not have any lawful basis to remain in the United States.
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In implementing this approach, DHS intends to prioritize for removal those who (1) have not, prior to the publication of this notice, properly filed an immigration benefit request, with appropriate fee (or fee waiver request, if available) to obtain a lawful basis to remain in the United States (e.g., adjustment of status, asylum, Temporary Protected Status, or T or U nonimmigrant status) and (2) are not the beneficiary of an immigration benefit request properly filed by someone else on their behalf (e.g., petition for alien relative, fiancé petition, petition for immigrant employee), with appropriate fee (or fee waiver request, if available).
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To effectuate their prompt removal, the U.S. government may in its discretion initiate expedited removal proceedings where appropriate.
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DHS intends to cancel all pending applications for advance authorizations to travel to the United States to seek a discretionary grant of parole under the CHNV parole programs. There are no currently approved ATAs upon which an alien may travel under the CHNV parole programs.
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DHS intends to issue a notice of non-confirmation for all remaining pending Forms I-134A.
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DHS will also rescind the confirmation of all Form I-134A that were previously confirmed and issue updated notices of non-confirmation for any potential beneficiaries who have not yet traveled to a POE to seek parole.
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Potential beneficiaries will no longer be able to execute any attestations or seek ATA through a USCIS online account based on a previously confirmed Form I-134A.
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DHS retains its discretion to commence enforcement action against any alien at any time, including during the 30-day waiting period created by this notice.
Considerations and Next Steps
DHS has considered the alternative of permitting CHNV participants’ parole to remain in effect until the natural expiration of the parole, as DHS has in the past done with some parole terminations. However, DHS has opted to not pursue this route.
DHS states that this Federal Register notice serves as notice of the termination of the CHNV parole programs and satisfies the requirement that DHS provide written notice upon the termination of parole.
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Because all CHNV parolees should have a USCIS online account and all processing under these parole programs took place electronically, DHS will also provide individual notice to each parolee through their USCIS online account.
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This Federal Register notice, and the individual notice through the USCIS online account, each independently constitute “written notice to the alien” under 8 CFR 212.5(e)(2)(i).
This notice of termination constitutes a general statement of policy and is exempt from the notice-and-comment rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.