The US has ordered 532,000 immigrants to leave by April 24, ending their legal status under a program introduced by President Biden

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a major shift in immigration policy, the United States announced on Friday that it would terminate the legal status of approximately 532,000 immigrants, forcing them to leave the country within weeks unless they secure another form of legal immigration status.

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The decision, which is expected to impact individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, marks a significant step in President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to curtail immigration, particularly from Latin American nations.

The immigrants affected by the order were originally granted temporary legal status under a program known as the “Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV)” initiative.

Launched in October 2022 by President Joe Biden, the program allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from these four countries to enter the United States for two years, providing them with temporary protection from deportation.

However, with the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement on Friday, these protections will expire 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, making April 24 the final day for those affected to depart the country unless they can obtain another immigration status.

“This is a temporary measure, and parole does not constitute an underlying basis for permanent immigration status,” stated the Department of Homeland Security in its official order.

In response, Welcome.US, an organisation that supports refugees, has urged the affected immigrants to seek advice from immigration lawyers as soon as possible to explore options for securing new legal status.

While the Biden administration originally touted the CHNV program as a “safe and humane” approach to addressing the pressure on the US-Mexico border, Trump’s policies have sought to reduce immigration levels, particularly from countries with poor human rights records.

The move is part of a broader campaign to enforce stricter immigration policies and facilitate the largest deportation campaign in US history, as President Trump has repeatedly pledged to do.

The announcement comes shortly after Trump invoked wartime legislation to deport over 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, a country offering to imprison migrants at discounted rates.

These developments underscore the growing tension around immigration in the US, as the debate over border control intensifies.

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With the clock ticking, many immigrants now face an uncertain future, with little time to secure alternative immigration status or to arrange their departure from the United States.