When a country changes its immigration policies, the impact is felt far beyond its borders. Families are separated.
Lives are uprooted. Decisions made in government offices reshape entire communities. The latest move from the Trump administration is no exception.
The U.S. government has announced it will revoke the legal status of over 500,000 Latin American immigrants, according to Hotnews.
These individuals, who arrived under a special program launched by President Joe Biden, now have only a few weeks to leave the country.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that they must depart by April 24 unless they secure another form of legal status.
This decision affects people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Biden’s program, introduced in October 2022 and expanded in January 2023, allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month to enter the U.S. for two years.
The plan was designed as a humanitarian effort, offering a legal path for those fleeing difficult conditions. Many relied on American sponsors to gain entry. Now, their future is uncertain.
The legal protections for these migrants will expire 30 days after the new order is officially published. That is expected to happen on Tuesday.
Immigration advocates and legal experts are warning of the consequences. The group Welcome.US, which supports refugees, is urging affected individuals to seek legal advice as soon as possible.
California-based immigration attorney Nicolette Glazer expressed deep concern. She noted that only 75,000 asylum applications have been approved under this program.
The vast majority of people will be left without legal status or work permits. Many will face deportation. She described the situation as a recipe for "chaos."
This move aligns with Trump’s hardline stance on immigration. During his election campaign, he pledged to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
Since returning to office, he has followed through on those promises.
His administration has also invoked a rarely used wartime law to deport more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador.
This law has been applied only three times before. It was first used in the War of 1812 to expel British citizens.
During World War I, it targeted nationals of enemy countries. In World War II, it led to the internment of over 100,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans.
As the deadline approaches, hundreds of thousands of people now face an uncertain future.
