What is Humanitarian Sponsorship?
Please note:
The U.S. government has ended the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) and paused the Uniting for Ukraine and Welcome Corps private sponsorship programs. Americans cannot submit new sponsorship applications, and existing applications will not be processed.
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Humanitarian sponsorship has empowered Americans to provide a bridge to safety for people in crisis.
Humanitarian sponsorship has enabled individual Americans to quickly sponsor newcomers from designated countries and bring them to safety in the United States.
In response to a series of escalating crises, the U.S. government launched the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) humanitarian sponsorship pathway in 2022, and the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) in 2023.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operated both programs.
The impact of humanitarian sponsorship
Americans across 12,000 zip codes in all 50 states changed lives through sponsorship.
Humanitarian sponsorship policy changes
As of Jan. 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) program and paused the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program. Neither program is accepting new applications, pending applications will not be processed, and no new travel authorization will be issued.
In addition, DHS announced that immigration officials may start reviewing the cases of people in the United States on humanitarian parole.
As part of that review, officials may decide to end an individual’s parole status and could begin the process of removing them from the United States. This announcement could include people who arrived through humanitarian parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Ukrainians and Afghans.
How does the executive order work, and what does it mean for sponsors and newcomers?
Humanitarian parole is a temporary immigration status that allows individuals facing urgent humanitarian crises to enter the U.S. legally. It is a discretionary status that can be granted or ended at any time by executive order of the president.
On Jan. 23, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security issued a notice directing immigration officials to review cases of individuals who are currently in the United States on humanitarian parole to determine whether to terminate their parole status and begin the process to remove them from the United States back to their home country. This includes beneficiaries of Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans and, possibly, Uniting for Ukraine as well as Afghans with parole status.
We do not yet know how this guidance will be implemented or enforced, but we will share updates as we receive more information.
Newcomers with humanitarian parole status should apply for a more durable status as quickly as possible, ideally asylum if they are eligible. In general, deportation efforts are not directed at those who have a pending asylum application. Please consult our guide to alternative legal status options.
Sponsors seeking information about applications they have submitted may seek constituent services from their congressional representatives to inquire about the status of their application or share their support for sponsorship programs. Click here to consult our sponsor guide on contacting your congressional representative for help.
What’s the latest on CHNV?
As of Jan. 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) program. The program is not accepting new applications, pending applications will not be processed, and no new travel authorization will be issued.
In addition, DHS announced that immigration officials may start reviewing the cases of people in the United States on humanitarian parole. As part of that review, officials may decide to end an individual’s parole status and could begin the process of removing them from the United States. This announcement could include people who arrived through humanitarian parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
There is still a lot we don’t know about the scope of these changes, as well as when and how they will be carried out. We strongly recommend, however, that newcomers apply for asylum or another permanent status if they qualify. Sponsors can help by connecting them with legal services. Check out our guide to legal options for support.
What’s the latest on U4U?
As of Jan. 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has paused the Uniting for Ukraine program. The program is not accepting new applications, pending applications will not be processed, and no new travel authorization will be issued.
In addition, DHS announced that immigration officials may start reviewing the cases of people in the United States on humanitarian parole. As part of that review, officials may decide to end an individual’s parole status and could begin the process of removing them from the United States. This announcement could include people who arrived through humanitarian parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Ukrainians and Afghans.
There is still a lot we don’t know about the scope of these changes, as well as when and how they will be carried out. We strongly recommend, however, that newcomers apply for asylum or another permanent status if they qualify. Sponsors can help by connecting them with legal services. Check out our guide to legal options for support.
Does the end of the CHNV program and pause to the U4U program mean the newcomer I sponsored lost their humanitarian parole status?
On Jan. 31, 2025, reports suggest that President Trump’s administration may soon announce the immediate termination of humanitarian parole status through CHNV, and other reliable reports suggest this also may apply to U4U.
As of January 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) program and paused the Uniting for Ukraine program. Neither program is accepting new applications, pending applications will not be processed, and no new travel authorization will be issued.
In addition, DHS announced that immigration officials may start reviewing the cases of people in the United States on humanitarian parole.
As part of that review, officials may decide to end an individual’s parole status and could begin the process of removing them from the United States. This announcement could include people who arrived through humanitarian parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Ukrainians and Afghans.
There is still a lot we don’t know about the scope of these changes, as well as when and how they will be carried out. We strongly recommend, however, that newcomers apply for asylum or another permanent status if they qualify. Sponsors can help by connecting them with legal services. Check out our guide to legal options for support.
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