Trump’s closure of humanitarian parole ‘devastating’ for Haitians seeking refuge

PORT-AU-PRINCE — On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise to curb migration by abruptly ending the popular humanitarian parole program, also known as the Biden program, and shutting down the CBP One app. The move dashed the hopes of thousands of Haitians, many of whom had been waiting months or even years for a chance to enter the United States legally. For Haitians already in the U.S. on humanitarian parole and other temporary federal programs, the future remains uncertain as they face a looming deadline to adjust their status or risk deportation.

The program, introduced under the Biden administration, allowed migrants from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua to enter the U.S. legally with the help of U.S.-based sponsors. It provided a lifeline for those fleeing political instability, gang violence, and economic collapse. Since its inception in January 2023, over 531,000 migrants — the majority of them Haitian — entered the U.S. under the program, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

But with Trump’s executive order, Haitians seeking refuge are now left with few options. The abrupt shutdown of the CBP One app, which facilitated travel authorization for humanitarian parole beneficiaries, has left countless families stranded in uncertainty.

“For migrants like me, it’s devastating,” said Daphnée Ménard, a nurse in Port-au-Prince who had applied for humanitarian parole 429 days ago but never received a response. “I was stunned when I heard the news because I had already started paying money to an agency to go to Mexico,” Ménard said.

This reality also hit Maurice Jean-Louis Jr., a videographer from Gonaïves who dreams of reuniting with his brother in Florida. “I have been waiting for approval under the Biden Program since May 2023. As things seemed to be moving too slowly, I started planning to get to Mexico and apply through the CBP One App,” Jean-Louis Jr.,36, told The Haitian Times. “My dream is not just dented; it’s crushed.”

The CBP One app was central to Ménard and Jean-Louis Jr.’s plan. 

As for Ménard, she checked her case status every day, hoping for an update. Now, even if her parole is approved, the closure of the app eliminates her chance of securing travel authorization. “I don’t know what I’ll do now,” she said.

For many Haitians, the desire to leave is not just about reaching the United States but escaping a country in crisis. Gang violence grips over 80% of Port-au-Prince, leaving residents in constant fear. Economic opportunities are scarce, and basic services like healthcare and education have collapsed.

“For migrants like me, it’s devastating. I was stunned when I heard the news because I had already started paying money to an agency to go to Mexico.”

Daphnée Ménard, a nurse in Port-au-Prince.

Likendy Fortuné, a electrician, echoed the sentiment. “We just want to leave Haiti. It’s not about entering the United States specifically,” Fortuné said. He had planned to travel through Mexico to reach the U.S. but is now reconsidering his options after the closure of CBP One.

A system plagued by scams and exploitation

Even before the program’s abrupt end, Haitians faced immense challenges in navigating the humanitarian parole process. Unscrupulous agents preyed on desperate migrants, charging exorbitant fees for false promises or forged documents.

Ménard admitted to paying an agency thousands of dollars for help arranging her trip to Mexico, but she remains skeptical about the process. “I don’t trust them completely, but it felt like my only option,” she said.

“We just want to leave Haiti. It’s not about entering the United States specifically.”

Migrants who travel through third countries, like Mexico, are often subjected to dangerous conditions, including extortion, assault and trafficking. These risks, combined with the new restrictions, leave many feeling trapped in an increasingly desperate situation.

Another migrant, Dieulove Clébert, 24, who is now blocked in Tapachula, Mexico, confided to The Haitian Times that her mother back in Haiti spent about $16,000 on arrangements with an agent and travel fees to help her and her 18-year-old brother get there.

“This was all the money my mother could find from selling almost everything she possessed. Now, here we are with all of it for nothing. We are stuck because we cannot reach the United States.”

The CBP One app: A brief lifeline, now gone

Introduced in 2020, the CBP One app was designed to create a more efficient and secure way for migrants to apply for asylum or parole at the U.S.-Mexico border. The app allowed up to 1,450 appointments per day at designated border crossings, giving migrants a legal alternative to dangerous and illegal crossings.

However, critics of the app, including Trump and his supporters, labeled it a “loophole” in immigration law that enabled mass migration. Its closure has left thousands of pending applicants, like Ménard, without any viable pathway to the U.S.

Haitians already in the U.S. face a ticking clock

For Haitians who successfully entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole, the future is equally precarious. The two-year period granted under the program provides work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. But with no plans to renew the program, those who fail to adjust their status before their parole expires will fall into unauthorized status, losing their work permits and becoming deportable.

Experts advise current parole beneficiaries to explore alternative legal pathways, such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or asylum. However, these options are not all set in stone. The TPS program is set to expire on Feb. 3, 2026, and may not be extended or redesignated by the current administration. As for asylum seekers, they are required to demonstrate a credible fear of persecution, a process that is both time-consuming and uncertain.

A chaotic end to a crucial program

Trump’s decision to end humanitarian parole comes as Haiti faces one of its worst crises in decades. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 plunged the country into further instability, and gang violence has since escalated to unprecedented levels.

“The humanitarian parole program was a beacon of hope for so many,” said Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. “Ending it so abruptly only exacerbates the suffering of those who are already in unimaginable situations.”

While some Haitians, like cultural activist Kens Samedi, hold onto a sliver of hope, many others are resigned to the grim reality. “We have the custom of always holding onto hope,” Samedi said, adding that he plans to continue his university studies while waiting for news about his parole application.

For now, the shutdown of CBP One and the end of humanitarian parole leaves Haitians with few options and a long road ahead. Whether through legal pathways, third countries, or other means, the struggle to leave Haiti and find safety continues.

The termination of humanitarian parole is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to restrict immigration. In addition to shutting down the CBP One app, Trump has vowed to end birthright citizenship and expand deportation efforts.

For Haitians and other migrants, the message is clear: the path to the U.S. has become significantly narrower. Yet for those fleeing gang violence, political instability, and economic despair, the dream of a better life persists—even as the barriers grow higher.

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Trump’s closure of humanitarian parole ‘devastating’ for Haitians seeking refuge was first posted on January 24, 2025 at 11:25 am.