WASHINGTON DC: A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court has jeopardized the legal status of more than 500,000 immigrants residing in the United States under a humanitarian parole program introduced during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
The court upheld President Donald Trump’s plan to terminate the parole initiative, which was designed to offer temporary relief to people fleeing economic and political turmoil in their home countries.
Implemented by the Biden administration, the program had allowed individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to legally live and work in the U.S. for a renewable two-year period. The parole was granted on humanitarian grounds, providing an alternative to deportation for those facing hardship.
With the Supreme Court’s endorsement of the program’s cancellation, some 530,000 immigrants now face an increased risk of removal from the U.S.
Previously, a federal judge had overturned an attempt to suspend the program, citing the humanitarian importance of offering temporary refuge. However, this recent ruling gives legal backing to efforts aimed at ending the protections.
Advocates and immigrant rights groups have expressed concern over the decision, warning of potential humanitarian crises and family separations if mass deportations follow.
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