‘Like a ticking time bomb’: Haitians in Biden parole program receive DHS self-deportation letters

NEW YORK- Haitians in the Biden administration’s Humanitarian Parole Program have received individual notices from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warning that their legal status will be terminated by April 24, 2025, and that they must self deport. The letters, which began circulating after a March 25 Federal Register notice, have sparked fear and confusion within the Haitian community as recipients grapple with what the order means for their future in the United States.

According to the DHS letter, “as of the termination of your parole, you may be subject to expedited removal according to Section 235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) or removal proceedings under Section 240 of the INA, either of which result in your removal unless you have departed from the United States and have obtained a lawful basis to remain within the United States.”

“America should not close its door on people who are looking for a safer place and some peace,” said Fabiola Josaphat, a nurse whose cousin received the letter recently.  “These people are not criminals; they were brought here legally, they work, they contribute to America.”

The Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program, which is officially called the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) program, was launched in January 2023 to offer a legal pathway for migrants from those countries to enter the United States. Initially praised for curbing unauthorized migration, the program’s termination has now left thousands in legal limbo.

The DHS letter states that “migrants under the CHNV parole program must depart the United States” no later than the date of termination of their  parole.” Failure to do so, according to the letter, “may have adverse immigration consequences.”

“The uncertainty is what’s most troubling,” said a family member of another migrant who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. “I don’t know if my family will be forced to leave after April 24 since his parole will expire in 2026, but the letter makes me feel like he has no options.”

The letter’s language has left many recipients unsure about their future. 

“It’s like a ticking time bomb,” said a parolee who has lived in the U.S. under the program for over a year. “We came here for safety and opportunity. Now it feels like everything is being taken away.”

According to DHS data, 138,000 Haitians have benefited from the program since its launch, but the policy’s sudden termination threatens to uproot entire communities across the United States.

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