Migrants Face Urgent Ultimatum as DHS Ends Parole Program

New York, NY — Thousands of migrants, including Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians, received alarming emails from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 29, notifying them that their temporary legal protections will expire on April 24. The email warned that failure to leave the U.S. by the deadline could result in accelerated deportation processes under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

“You must leave the United States now, but no later than the expiration date of your parole,” the message stated, informing recipients of the seriousness of their situation. Approximately 532,000 migrants had previously benefited from a humanitarian parole program established during the Biden administration, which allowed for legal entry into the U.S. for up to 30,000 individuals per month with a sponsor.

As the Trump administration takes control, the protections granted under this program are now deemed invalid. In the correspondence, the DHS specified that those who fail to leave on time would begin to accumulate illegal presence in the U.S., potentially rendering them inadmissible for future entries. “Accumulating more than 180 days of illegal presence may result in being barred from re-entering the U.S. for a period of ten years,” the email warned.

The email outlined necessary steps for those opting for voluntary departure, directing them to report their exit via the CBP Home mobile application, a new initiative aimed at facilitating the self-deportation of undocumented migrants. For individuals lacking other legal bases to remain in the country, such as pending asylum petitions, immediate exit is crucial to avoid detection by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

This drastic policy revision aims to eliminate the humanitarian parole set in motion by the previous administration, which sought to provide temporary legal residency and work permits to qualifying migrants. With the advent of the Trump administration, the status and legal background of these beneficiaries are now being invalidated, leaving them with the ultimatum to exit or face legal repercussions.

Willy Allen, an immigration attorney, expressed concerns over the likelihood of compliance with the ultimatum, stating, “How many people will voluntarily board a flight back to their home countries?” He emphasized the precarious position many migrants now face, particularly Venezuelans and Nicaraguans who have yet to file political asylum claims.

Some Cubans may still find relief under the Cuban Adjustment Act, which allows for legal residency opportunities without requiring a continuous legal status in the U.S. Allen urged all affected nationals to file for political asylum as soon as possible to secure their positions before the April deadline.

This shift in immigration policy has instilled anxiety and confusion among thousands of recipients, who find themselves facing an uncertain future just weeks before their protections lapse. Families scrambling to figure out their next moves feel trapped in a system that demands their departure in less than a month’s time.