Trump Deprives 500 Migrants of Legal Status in the US: Ukrainians May Be Left Without Protection in April

The Trump administration is moving to end temporary status for 530 Cubans, Venezuelans and other migrants, reports NBC News. Ukrainians will most likely be among those who may be deprived of asylum, writes Reuters.

Photo: Department © Andrei Dodonov | Dreamstime.com

The Trump administration is taking steps to end the temporary legal status of more than 530 people who came to the United States from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela under temporary entry programs established under the Biden administration, according to a document published March 000 in the Federal Register.

These programs are set to end on April 24. According to the document, individuals granted temporary entry under these programs “must depart the United States prior to the date their status terminates.”

The move follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office in which he directed his administration to “terminate all temporary entry programs that are contrary to U.S. policy,” specifically for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote that her department's termination of the programs "directly" implements Trump's order and "complements and underscores the administration's shift in foreign policy toward prioritizing U.S. border security interests."

"These programs do not provide significant public benefit, are not necessary to reduce illegal immigration, do not sufficiently mitigate the domestic consequences of illegal immigration, do not accomplish their purported intent, and are inconsistent with the Administration's foreign policy goals," the document says.

The Department of Homeland Security will work to "remove" individuals who entered the United States under these programs and did not leave the country before their temporary status ended.

“Aliens who have since obtained lawful immigration status or other legal basis allowing them to remain in the United States are not required to leave the country pursuant to this notice,” the document clarifies.

The temporary entry programs were created by the Biden administration and allowed migrants to stay in the U.S. for up to two years. To qualify, migrants had to apply online, pass a background check, and have a financial sponsor. They were also given permission to work in the U.S.

The Biden administration launched a temporary entry policy for Venezuelans in 2022 and later expanded it to Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Cubans. Under the initiative, up to 30 people from those four countries could temporarily enter the U.S. each month. Last year, the Biden administration decided not to renew the program.

When asked to comment on the end of these programs, a Department of Homeland Security official sharply criticized them, calling them "catastrophic."

"Ending the CHNV temporary entry programs and revoking the temporary status of those who have used them is a return to common sense, public safety, and the 'America First' principle," the official said.

The Trump administration's moves to limit temporary entry programs have faced lawsuits in the past. Last month, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the White House policy seeking to block the end of the programs.

Trump said, among other things, on March 6 that he would make a decision “very soon” to revoke temporary entry status for about 240 Ukrainians who fled to the United States because of Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country. Trump’s statement came in response to a Reuters report that his administration planned to revoke that status for Ukrainians as early as April.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Passenger's Green Card Taken Away at Los Angeles Airport: Girl Deported Despite Legal Status in the US

Lindsey Graham Proposes Not Giving US Citizenship to US-Born Children of Tourists and Illegals

How the Number of Immigrants to the United States and Their Origins Have Changed Over the Past 170 Years

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.