In the United States, numerous individuals from various countries live legally under temporary forms of legal protection. The Trump administration has significantly focused on these groups in its immigration enforcement efforts.
Recently, the Supreme Court permitted the administration to withdraw protections for around 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants, subjecting them to potential deportation. These individuals previously benefited from Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which had shielded them from expulsion. The administration had slated TPS designation for Venezuelans to conclude in April, a move that was temporarily halted by a federal judge but later upheld by the Supreme Court.
Temporary Protected Status permits individuals already residing in the U.S. to stay and work legally for up to 18 months if their home countries are unstable due to civil conflict or natural disasters. The Biden administration notably broadened TPS coverage to include nationals from over a dozen countries, with a sizable portion being Venezuelans and Haitians. This status does not provide a direct path to citizenship but can be extended repeatedly. Critics argue that extensions were often granted automatically, regardless of changing conditions in the immigrants’ home countries.
The recent Supreme Court verdict affects 350,000 Venezuelans, while an additional 250,000 Venezuelans under a different TPS designation face losing their status in September. Moreover, the administration is concluding TPS for about half a million Haitians by August.
Aside from TPS, over 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans reside in the U.S. via humanitarian parole. To qualify, immigrants needed to travel to the U.S. independently and secure a financial sponsor, without entering through the Mexico border. This status typically lasts for two years. Recently, the administration sought Supreme Court permission to stop parole for immigrants from these countries, arguing that a lower court’s decision improperly restricted the Department of Homeland Security’s authority. Humanitarian parole has been a tool employed by both Republican and Democratic administrations for individuals unable to access standard immigration pathways due to urgency or diplomatic issues.
Another initiative, the CBP One app, allowed over 900,000 immigrants to enter the U.S. temporarily during the Biden administration. It was introduced to manage increased illegal immigration at the southern border. The app functioned like a lottery, facilitating daily appointments at border crossings for a limited number of people. Those who entered via CBP One were generally granted a two-year stay.
The incoming Trump administration, however, swiftly terminated the CBP One usage and invalidated thousands of scheduled appointments. By April, some individuals who had used the app were instructed via email to exit the U.S. immediately, with a stern warning from the federal government about remaining in the country. The exact number of people receiving such messages or their deadlines for departure remains unclear. Meanwhile, immigrant rights groups are challenging these directives, advocating against forced self-deportation.