What’s New?
On Tuesday, the administration published a notice to terminate the humanitarian parole status for over 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans on April 24. This move will result in the revocation of people’s work permits and place many at risk of removal.
The notice comes a day after a hearing to obtain a halt to the termination of humanitarian parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Ukrainians, and Afghans, among others (Svitlana Doe v. Noem). A second hearing date was set for April 7.
The Biden administration established these humanitarian programs to allow families and individuals from countries facing a humanitarian crisis to travel to the United States.
In Pacito v. Trump, a federal appeals court allowed the administration to maintain its refugee ban in place while the case moves through the courts. This ruling follows a lower court’s order to resume the refugee resettlement program last month. The U.S. appeals court exempted refugees conditionally approved before January 20. According to Church World Service, one of the plaintiffs in the case, approximately 100,000 refugees have been conditionally approved for entry into the United States.
The lower court also ordered the administration to reinstate cooperative agreements to provide essential services to recently arrived refugees with all refugee resettlement agencies earlier this week. The judge has requested the administration to submit a status report by March 31.
While this case plays out in the courts, the administration continues to quietly chip away at the structures and systems in place to support families and individuals who have proven that they face persecution in their home countries. Some of the recent changes include reducing cash and medical assistance to refugees, asylees, and Afghan SIV holders from 12 to four months, beginning May 5, and pausing the processing of green cards for refugees and individuals granted asylum in the United States.
In related news, refugee resettlement agencies have begun to receive some reimbursement from the federal government for the services they provide to support refugees in resettling in our communities, including LSSNCA, a step toward stabilizing our operations.
What else?
Today, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, and Justice Action Center filed a lawsuit to protect the legal rights of unaccompanied children. The legal challenge comes a week after the administration terminated nearly all contracts that provide legal representation to children without a guardian or parent (CLSEPA v. HHS).
Legal orientations and representation provided by organizations like Acacia Center for Justice are essential to ensuring unaccompanied children do not have to navigate the complex immigration court system alone. Legal representation also protects unaccompanied children’s rights while ensuring their safety and well-being.
As a result, children may have to represent themselves in immigration courts. The Trump administration previously received massive public backlash for requiring children, including infants, to represent themselves in immigration court in 2018.
What’s Needed:
Here are three ways you can ensure our communities remain committed to welcoming people seeking safety during this difficult time.
- Advocate. Urge your members of Congress to protect legal services for unaccompanied children.
- Donate. The administration’s actions have created a significant funding gap for services for refugees. Your financial gift will help support our new neighbors.
- Donate Goods. By donating in-kind items to the Resource Center, you are providing our new neighbors and neighbors in need with essential goods.
What’s Happened: A timeline of events since January 20, 2025.
