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. As of Jan. 31, 2025, reports suggest that President Trump’s administration may soon announce the immediate termination of existing humanitarian parole for newcomers who entered the U.S. through CHNV and U4U.
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Top FAQs
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, and it is unclear if pending applications will be processed, noting that no new travel authorizations have been issued.
Immigration officials can review the cases of people in the United States on humanitarian parole and decide to end an individual’s parole status, beginning the process of removing them from the United States. In addition, reports on Jan. 31, 2025 suggest that President Trump’s administration may soon announce the immediate termination of humanitarian parole status through CHNV, and it may apply to U4U as well.
As we monitor and share these policy changes impacting sponsorship programs, we strongly recommend that newcomers apply for another legal status if they qualify. Sponsors can help by connecting newcomers with legal services. Learn more in our guide to alternative legal options for humanitarian parolees.
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.
Will a newcomer be protected if they apply for an alternative legal status after their humanitarian parole status is revoked?
We are tracking media reports that on Feb. 14, the Department of Homeland Security issued an internal memo suspending decision-making on all immigration applications filed by individuals who arrived in the United States through several sponsorship programs, including Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) and the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV). The directive indicates that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will not approve any alternative forms of legal status many sponsored individuals are seeking while this pause is in place. This includes applications filed for asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), advance parole travel, adjustment of status to permanent residence, naturalization, and all other applications filed to USCIS.
The memo has not been made public, and many questions remain, including if it will be challenged in court. We continue to strongly recommend that sponsored newcomers apply for alternative legal status, including asylum, if eligible, based on guidance from legal experts. Sponsors can help by connecting newcomers with legal services. Check out our guide to alternative legal options for support. We will continue to monitor policy changes and share updated recommendations as they impact sponsorship programs.
