The U.S. Department of Homeland Security cancels parole and work permits for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela under the CHNV program. This move exposes the xenophobic policies of the Trump administration aimed at restricting migration through punitive measures.

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Trump Administration’s Anti-Immigrant Policy Targets Vulnerable Migrants

On June 12, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began notifying hundreds of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela that their humanitarian parole and work authorizations under the CHNV program have been revoked, forcing them to leave the United States immediately. This program, created under the Biden administration, provided a legal framework for migrants to live and work temporarily in the U.S.

The abrupt cancellation of CHNV parole is not merely an administrative decision; it is a clear manifestation of the xenophobic and exclusionary immigration policies championed by the Trump administration.

By revoking protections for hundreds of thousands, the U.S. government signals a return to harsh, punitive immigration enforcement that disproportionately affects migrants from the Global South.

Our message to illegal aliens is clear: LEAVE NOW. The U.S. taxpayer is generously offering those in the country illegally $1,000 and a free flight home through the CBP Home app.

Self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost effective way to leave the United States to avoid… pic.twitter.com/P0iTx18TTu

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) June 12, 2025

Politicizing Immigration: DHS’s Narrative of Blame and Fear

DHS officials have framed the revocation as a necessary step to restore “public safety” and “common sense,” accusing the previous administration of allowing “poorly vetted” migrants to enter the country.

Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Deputy Secretary, claimed the Biden administration “lied” by permitting over half a million migrants under the parole program and blamed Democrats for subsequent “chaos and crime.” This rhetoric fuels xenophobia and scapegoats migrants, ignoring the broader geopolitical context and the systemic causes of migration.

Such statements reflect a political strategy that uses immigration as a tool to stoke fear and justify regressive policies, rather than addressing the real issues at hand. The Trump administration’s approach prioritizes exclusion over human dignity and undermines international norms on migration and asylum.

The CHNV parole program was designed as a humanitarian response, allowing migrants with sponsors in the U.S. to enter legally and work while their cases were processed. Its termination undermines a legal pathway for migrants, replacing it with uncertainty, fear, and the threat of forced removal.

The DHS is encouraging voluntary departures through incentives like a $1,000 exit bonus and travel assistance via a mobile app, but these measures do not address the punitive nature of the policy. Instead, they pressure migrants to leave under duress, reinforcing a hostile environment for immigrants.

Today, the American people landed a legal victory to terminate parole for more than 530,000 illegal aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) who were released into the country by the Biden Administration. This order comes after an activist judge ruled that DHS…

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 30, 2025

The cancellation of CHNV parole is part of a broader rollback of immigration policies enacted during the Biden administration. It signals a hardline stance that prioritizes border militarization and deportations over humane treatment and respect for migrants’ rights.

These measures are not isolated but part of a systemic effort to criminalize migration and reinforce racialized and xenophobic hierarchies. The policy shift fits within a pattern of U.S. interventions that destabilize the Global South, while simultaneously denying migrants from these regions the right to legal and dignified migration.

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