United States: Federal District Court Temporarily Blocks Termination of Parole Program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
April 15, 2025
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At a glance
- A Massachusetts federal district court has granted a temporary stay of the scheduled April 24 mass termination of parole and related employment authorization for beneficiaries of the CHNV parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
- The stay is to remain in effect until further order of the court. The Trump Administration is likely to appeal the order.
- Unless the district court order is subsequently reversed, termination of CHNV paroles will not take effect on April 24, and the duration of a CHNV beneficiary’s parole and any associated work authorization reverts to the date previously granted by the government.
The issue
Yesterday, a federal district judge in Massachusetts issued an order temporarily blocking the upcoming April 24, 2025 mass termination of parole and related employment authorization for beneficiaries of the Biden-era “CHNV” parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The stay is to remain in place pending further order of the court. The case is Doe v. Noem, Case No. 1:25-cv-10495-IT (D. Mass.).
The court ruled that the plaintiffs, representing a class of parole beneficiaries, were likely to succeed on their claim that the Department of Homeland Security’s categorical termination of existing grants of CHNV parole was arbitrary and capricious.
The Trump Administration is likely to appeal the decision.
Background
In January 2023, the Biden Administration launched the CHNV parole program, which allowed for the parole of up to 30,000 nationals per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. CHNV parolees were required to have a U.S. financial sponsor and pass security screenings and were allowed to remain in the United States for up to two years and apply for and obtain employment authorization. In late 2024, the Biden Administration announced that it would not extend the program beyond its period but encouraged beneficiaries to pursue other immigration options.
President Trump announced his intention to terminate the parole program in an executive order issued on January 20, 2025. Consistent with that order, on March 25, 2025, DHS issued a Federal Register Notice terminating all CHNV paroles, effective April 24, 2025, and the agency subsequently sent CHNV parolees individual notices of the parole termination and the revocation of any associated Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).
What this means for foreign nationals
Unless and until the district court’s stay is overturned, termination of CHNV parole will not take effect on April 24. The duration of a CHNV beneficiary’s parole and any associated work authorization reverts to the date previously granted by the government. The court order also effectively stays any individualized notices sent to CHNV parolees notifying them that their parole and associated work authorization is being revoked without case-by-case review.
Fragomen is continuing to closely monitor the litigation and will provide updates as they occur.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
