After the CHNV Shutdown: Where Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan & Venezuelan Parolees Stand in 2026

What Happened: A Quick Recap

From late 2022 through January 20, 2025, the Biden administration ran the CHNV humanitarian parole program, allowing nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. on 2-year parole grants if they had a U.S.-based financial sponsor.

On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration:

• Shut down the CBP One app with no advance notice
• Terminated the CHNV parole program
• Announced that existing parole grants would not be renewed
• Directed DHS to begin "orderly wind-down" procedures

Where Things Stand in Early 2026

Parole Periods Expiring

CHNV parolees entered on 2-year grants. Those who arrived in early 2023 began seeing their parole expire in early 2025. By early 2026:

• Parolees who entered Jan–June 2023: Parole already expired; many have been in unlawful presence since mid-2025
• Parolees who entered July–Dec 2023: Parole expiring or recently expired
• Parolees who entered 2024: Parole still active but expiring throughout 2026

EADs (Work Permits) Expiring

Work authorizations tied to CHNV parole are expiring on the same timeline. With no renewal pathway established, affected individuals face loss of work authorization.

Notices to Appear (NTAs)

DHS began issuing NTAs to former CHNV parolees in late 2025, placing them in removal proceedings. This trend has accelerated in 2026. Receiving an NTA means:

• The individual is now in immigration court
• They have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge
• They need an attorney — immediately

Court Victories: Some Temporary Relief

A federal court in the District of Massachusetts issued a ruling in late 2025 finding that DHS had not followed proper Administrative Procedure Act (APA) procedures in the blanket termination of CHNV parole. The ruling provided a temporary reprieve for some affected individuals, but:

• The injunction was limited in scope
• DHS appealed immediately
• Status varies by individual circumstance

What Former Parolees May Be Eligible For

Some CHNV parolees may have alternative pathways, which only an attorney can evaluate:

• Asylum (if they meet the legal standard — very high bar under current policy)
• TPS (if their country is designated and they qualify)
• Family-based petitions (if a qualifying relative filed for them)
• Withholding of removal or Convention Against Torture claims

What Consultants Can and Cannot Do

You CAN:

• Help clients understand that their parole status may be expiring
• Provide AILA and legal aid referral resources
• Explain in plain language that they should see an attorney urgently
• Help organize documents for attorney review

You CANNOT:

• Advise on whether a client qualifies for asylum, TPS, or any form of relief
• Assist with any removal defense preparation
• Prepare or assist with any application tied to this situation
• Tell clients whether they are "safe" from deportation

If a client tells you they came under CHNV parole, your response is: "You need an immigration attorney right now. Here are resources to find one."

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Sources: DHS press releases, USCIS.gov, immigration court data, federal court filings. Status as of January 2026.