Despite a drop in February arrests to 8,300, the lowest monthly level in decades, the Trump administration continues to take measures to limit the flow of migrants to the southern border.
The administration of US President Donald Trump intends to revoke the temporary legal residency status of more than half a million immigrants who entered the United States legally under a program launched under former President Joe Biden. According to a notice published Friday in the Federal Register, the administration plans to end the humanitarian parole and work permit program for citizens of Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela, who were allowed to travel directly to the United States after applying from abroad.
The US Department of Homeland Security states that approximately 532,000 people have entered the country under this program, but the actual number of those retaining legal status remains unclear. Under the plan, those without other legal means to remain will be required to leave the country or face deportation starting in late April.
Escalating the campaign against immigration
The abolition of the parole program represents a significant escalation in Trump’s campaign against immigration, as the law’s enforcement expands to include immigrants who entered the country legally. Trump has criticized these programs, considering them illegal.
In contrast, in 2023, Biden launched the “parole” program as a legal alternative to safe border crossings, especially through particularly difficult passages such as the Darien Gap.
Increased arrests and deportations
Since Trump took office, federal agents have made more than 30,000 arrests of people residing in the United States illegally, including some individuals whose only offense was lack of legal immigration status. The administration is also dismantling the Department of Homeland Security’s internal oversight bodies, which human rights advocates see as a step toward increased draconian controls.
Additionally, despite a drop in February arrests to 8,300, the lowest monthly level in decades, the Trump administration continues to take measures to limit the flow of migrants to the southern border.
