Policy Updates

As of Jan. 20, 2025, DHS 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 authorizations will be issued.

DHS announced that it will terminate the humanitarian parole status for individuals who arrived in the United States through the CHNV sponsorship program. Termination of parole will take effect on April 24, 2025. If an individual's parole was set to expire earlier, termination would occur on the expiration date. DHS intends to prioritize removing individuals from the U.S. who haven’t applied for another status, like TPS or asylum, by March 25, 2025. View our CHNV policy explainer page for more information and resources.

Sponsors can consult our guide to alternative legal options for humanitarian parolees to seek professional legal counsel.

As of Jan. 28, 2025, DHS has paused the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program. The program is not accepting new applications, pending applications will not be processed, and no new travel authorizations are being issued.

The March 25th DHS notice of CHNV termination does not apply to individuals who arrived in the U.S. through U4U; however, recent reports suggest the government may also terminate humanitarian parole status for this population. View our humanitarian parole explainer page for more information and resources.

Sponsors can consult our guide to alternative legal options for humanitarian parolees to seek professional legal counsel.

With the pause of the U4U program and the end of the CHNV program, pending applications or approved sponsorships for newcomers that have not arrived will not be processed.

The programs are not accepting new applications, pending applications will not be processed, and no new travel authorizations are being issued. We are closely monitoring official updates and will share further information as it becomes available.

If you have questions about a specific case, you can ask your congressional representatives to follow up directly with USCIS on your behalf. Use our guide for information on how.

On Feb. 14, media reports indicated that DHS issued an internal memo suspending decision making on all immigration applications filed by individuals who arrived in the U.S. through the U4U and CHNV parole programs. This indicates that DHS will not approve any alternative forms of legal status (including Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and asylum) many sponsored individuals are seeking while this pause is in place.

However, we still strongly recommend that all individuals with a primary status of humanitarian parole seek advice from an immigration attorney immediately to determine if viable alternative statuses remain an option for them. Check out our guide to alternative legal options for support.

We are tracking the lawsuit, Doe v. Noem, that challenged the U.S. government’s actions to end humanitarian parole processes including CHNV and U4U. We will provide updates once a final order is made. For more up-to-date information, you can follow the case here.

The March 25 public notice serves as notice of the termination of parole status for those who arrived through CHNV and if their primary status is humanitarian parole. DHS will also provide individual notice to each parolee through their USCIS online account.

Individuals who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV may still receive an individual notice via email even if they have applied for or received an alternative status. Receiving an individual notice does not indicate that the recipient is a priority for removal. Please consult legal counsel to understand options.

All individuals who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV should seek advice from an immigration attorney immediately to determine if they already have alternative status or, if not, what viable options remain for them. Find an immigration attorney through the American Immigration Lawyers Association search tool.

If an individual who arrived in the U.S. through CHNV currently has employment authorization that was based on their parole status, their employment authorization will automatically terminate when their parole status terminates (on April 24, 2025 or sooner if their status expires before then). If the individual has been granted employment authorization through an alternative legal status (e.g., asylum or TPS), their employment authorization will not be impacted.

No. The Welcome Corps program, which was a refugee sponsorship initiative within the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), was terminated in Feb. 2025. The Welcome Corps is no longer accepting new applications, and pending applications will not be processed or certified.

Refugee cases that have already been referred into USRAP through a certified Welcome Corps application currently remain in the pipeline, though their processing is on hold and no flights are being scheduled for refugee arrivals.

A certified application means information about the refugee(s) you applied to sponsor was referred to USRAP, and the refugee(s) named on your application has a case with the U.S. government.

If your Welcome Corps application was certified, an email was sent to your group coordinator at the time of certification.

If your Welcome Corps application was not certified, the refugee(s) named on your application do not have a USRAP or SIV number. This means they have not been referred to the U.S. government for private sponsorship and therefore do not have a case with the U.S. government.

The refugee(s) named in your Welcome Corps case were referred into USRAP if:

• Your group coordinator received an email from [email protected] stating that the refugee(s) named in your application were referred to USRAP.
• The refugee(s) named in your application have received a USRAP number. A USRAP case number consists of two letters followed by a 6-digit number, for example, JO-123456.

The U.S. government has not provided guidance on how to request admission on a case-by-case basis.

Sponsors may seek help from their congressional representatives to understand the process.

Use our guide to contacting your federal representatives to learn how to request a case review.

Refugee travel to the U.S. is suspended until further notice. Other than limited arrivals on a case-by-case basis, all scheduled travel has been canceled, and no new travel will be booked during the USRAP suspension.

Maybe. Refugees who have already arrived in the U.S. through the Welcome Corps are not at risk of losing their legal status, but may not be able to access some services funded by the federal government.

It is unclear if or when USRAP programming will reopen and whether private sponsorship will be included in that programming. The Welcome Corps program was terminated by the State Department in late February 2025.

SIV holders can travel to the U.S. with private dollars, but they will not receive Reception and Placement (R&P) services.

An SIV holder may be an Afghan or Iraqi in any country with an approved visa in their passport and a valid passport or travel document.

The approved visa must include an Immigrant Visa case number, also known as the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) number. This number starts with 3 letters followed by 10 numbers. For example, KBL1234567890. This is not the NVC SIV Case Number.

On Jan. 20, the U.S. government suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for a minimum 90-day review period. This includes a halt on all refugee case processing and arrivals except on a case-by-case basis. It is unclear when or in what form USRAP programming will reopen and whether private sponsorship will be included in that programming. The pause will remain in effect until the U.S. government lifts it.

The Welcome Corps program was terminated by the State Department in late February 2025. This means that the Welcome Corps is no longer accepting new applications, and pending applications will not be processed or certified.

It is unclear whether refugee sponsorship will return. As elected officials shape new policies related to refugee admissions, Americans can share their support for private sponsorship by using our guide for contacting your federal representatives.

We are closely tracking the lawsuit, Pacito v. Trump, which challenged the U.S. government’s suspension of USRAP. We will provide more information once a final order is made. For more up-to-date information, you can follow the case here.

You can:

• Contact your congressional representatives to express support for refugee sponsorship programs or get help with your application.
• Use our guide for contacting your federal representatives for detailed instructions.