Parole status to be terminated for CHNV newcomers
Last updated April 15, 2025 at 5:37 p.m. ET
On April 14, 2025, a federal judge temporarily halted the U.S. government’s effort to terminate humanitarian parole status and work authorization for individuals who arrived in the U.S. through the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) sponsorship program. Based on this temporary decision, individuals who entered the U.S. through the CHNV humanitarian parole status will maintain parole status and work authorization until it was originally set to expire.
It is unclear how long this temporary halt will be in effect. All individuals with a primary status of humanitarian parole should seek advice from an immigration attorney immediately to determine their options.
On March 25, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will terminate the humanitarian parole status for individuals who arrived in the United States through the CHNV sponsorship program. Termination of parole was scheduled to take effect 30 days after the official notice was published, meaning parole would have been terminated on April 24, 2025.
Additionally, based on the original notice, if an individual's parole was set to expire earlier, termination would occur on the expiration date. DHS states that it intends to prioritize for removal from the U.S. those individuals who have not properly filed for another status by March 25, 2025, such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or asylum.
What does it mean for you?
The March 25 public notice serves as notice of the termination of parole status for those who arrived through CHNV and if their primary status is humanitarian parole. DHS will also provide individual notice to each parolee through their USCIS online account.
Individuals who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV may still receive an individual notice via email even if they have applied for or received an alternative status. Receiving an individual notice does not indicate that the recipient is a priority for removal.
- DHS states that it intends to prioritize for removal from the U.S. those who have not properly filed for another status by March 25, 2025, such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or asylum.
- This order of termination was temporarily halted by a federal judge on April 14, 2025; however, it is unclear how long this temporary halt will be in effect.
- All individuals with a primary status of humanitarian parole should seek advice from an immigration attorney immediately to determine if viable alternative statuses, such as TPS or asylum, remain an option for them. Find an immigration attorney through the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association search tool.
- This order of termination is specific to individuals who were sponsored through the CHNV sponsorship program. It does not apply to individuals who arrived in the U.S. through Uniting for Ukraine (U4U); however, recent reports suggest the government may also terminate humanitarian parole status for this population.
FAQ
If no immigration applications are being processed for individuals with humanitarian parole, why recommend those individuals to apply for TPS, asylum, EADs, etc.?
On Feb. 14, media reports indicated that DHS issued an internal memo suspending decision making on all immigration applications filed by individuals who arrived in the U.S. through the U4U and CHNV parole programs. This indicates that DHS will not approve any alternative forms of legal status (including Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and asylum) many sponsored individuals are seeking while this pause is in place.
However, we still strongly recommend that all individuals with a primary status of humanitarian parole seek advice from an immigration attorney immediately to determine if viable alternative statuses remain an option for them. Check out our guide to alternative legal options for support.
How does the pending lawsuit related to the termination of parole affect the CHNV or U4U newcomer I sponsored?
We are tracking the lawsuit, Doe v. Noem, that challenged the U.S. government’s actions to end humanitarian parole processes including CHNV and U4U. We will provide updates once a final order is made. For more up-to-date information, you can follow the case here.
How will CHNV newcomers know if their parole status has been terminated?
The March 25 public notice serves as notice of the termination of parole status for those who arrived through CHNV and if their primary status is humanitarian parole. DHS will also provide individual notice to each parolee through their USCIS online account.
Individuals who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV may still receive an individual notice via email even if they have applied for or received an alternative status. Receiving an individual notice does not indicate that the recipient is a priority for removal. Please consult legal counsel to understand options.
How will CHNV newcomers know if they can stay in the U.S.?
All individuals who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV should seek advice from an immigration attorney immediately to determine if they already have alternative status or, if not, what viable options remain for them. Find an immigration attorney through the American Immigration Lawyers Association search tool.
How does the termination of parole status for CHNV beneficiaries affect their employment authorization?
If an individual who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV currently has employment authorization that was based on their parole status, their employment authorization will automatically terminate when their parole status terminates (on April 24, 2025 or sooner if their status expires before then). If the individual has been granted employment authorization through an alternative legal status (e.g., asylum or TPS), their employment authorization will not be impacted.
How can you help?
- Consult the Welcome.US guide to alternative legal status options for humanitarian parolees for information on pursuing alternative legal status.
- Consider contacting your federal representatives to voice your support for individuals who are currently residing in the U.S. with legal status under humanitarian parole.
- Review this American Immigration Lawyers Association resource to understand newcomers’ rights and possible next steps.
- Subscribe for important policy updates.
