The Trump administration has paused all immigration applications filed by migrants from Latin America and Ukraine who were admitted into the U.S. under certain Biden-era programs, citing concerns over fraud and security. This indefinite freeze, confirmed by U.S. officials and an internal memo obtained by CBS News, affects migrants who were in the process of applying for various immigration benefits.
The pause has created uncertainty for many migrants, including those seeking permanent residency, as government officials review potential fraud cases and strengthen vetting procedures to address national security and public safety risks. The number of affected migrants remains unclear, but the pause targets several major Biden administration programs that allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the U.S. legally through a process called “parole.”
Parole allows the U.S. government to grant entry to migrants on humanitarian or public benefit grounds. The Biden administration used this policy on a large scale to encourage legal migration over illegal crossings at the southern border. However, the Trump administration has moved to halt these efforts, arguing that they misused the parole authority.
In a memo dated February 14, Andrew Davidson, a top official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), ordered an “administrative pause” on all pending immigration benefit requests filed by migrants who entered the U.S. under three key Biden-era programs.
These programs include the “Uniting for Ukraine” initiative, which offered refuge to those fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the CHNV program, which allowed 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S.; and a process for migrants from countries like Colombia and Ecuador, who entered to await family-based green cards.
Many of these migrants had temporary work permits and protections from deportation that typically last two years, prompting them to apply for other immigration benefits like Temporary Protected Status, asylum, and green cards. However, under the new directive, USCIS will not process any applications for benefits filed by migrants who entered under these targeted programs.
Lynden Melmed, a former top USCIS lawyer, noted, “This effectively freezes their ability to move into another legal status. In the meantime, they remain vulnerable to deportation if their parole status is terminated.”
The USCIS memo explained that the pause was necessary because fraud and public safety concerns were not being adequately flagged in the agency’s systems. It also referenced investigations that revealed fraud within the CHNV program, including cases with false sponsorships, deceased individuals, and identical addresses.
Davidson’s memo stated that the pause could end once a “comprehensive review” of the migrants’ cases is completed. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the hold would remain in effect until additional vetting is completed.
In addition to the pause on applications, the Trump administration has authorized federal immigration agents to deport individuals who entered under Biden’s parole programs, including expedited deportations in some cases. Plans are also being drafted to revoke the parole status of many migrants under the CHNV program.
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