CHNV parole is terminated. South Florida Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans & Venezuelans face urgent choices. Fitenko Law explains your options.
This guide reflects the law and policy as of its publication date. U.S. immigration rules in this area can change quickly — confirm the current status with Fitenko Law PLLC at (305) 315-3425 or the official government source before you act.
If you or someone you know came to the United States through the CHNV humanitarian parole program — for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans — the legal ground has shifted sharply. As of June 2026, federal authorities have terminated the program and are sending individual termination notices. Layered on top of that, federal policy changes have placed holds on pending I-589 asylum applications and work-permit requests for affected nationals. For the many thousands of affected people across the Greater Miami area — in Doral, Hialeah, Brickell, Kendall, Aventura, and Hallandale Beach — this is not an abstract news story. It is a call to act, and act quickly.
The CHNV program launched in late 2022 (for Venezuelan nationals) and expanded in January 2023 (for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans) as a legal pathway for nationals of those four countries. Participants needed a U.S. supporter (sponsor), passed background checks, and received a two-year grant of humanitarian parole — meaning they were admitted, could apply for work authorization, and were not subject to immediate removal. Entries continued through approximately early 2025.
The program did not grant permanent status. It was always a temporary bridge — and that bridge has now been pulled. The Department of Homeland Security terminated the CHNV parole processes by Federal Register notice effective March 25, 2025. After a lower court briefly paused that termination, on May 30, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the injunction and allowed the termination to proceed. In June 2025, DHS began issuing individual termination notices to parole holders. As of June 2026, the effects of those notices continue to reach people throughout South Florida.
What this means practically: your two-year parole grant no longer protects you. Without a new, independent legal status, you may be placed in removal proceedings.
The termination of CHNV parole is not happening in isolation. A separate federal policy development has placed holds on I-589 asylum applications and on pending work-authorization (EAD) requests for nationals from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and at least 16 other countries.
South Florida immigration attorney Morella Aguado put it plainly in a CBS Miami report: "The work permits for people who are pending an asylum will be placed on hold, which means their jobs are going to be affected."
For the many Venezuelan, Cuban, and Haitian immigrants in Doral, Little Havana, and North Miami Beach who relied on their CHNV-based work authorization to hold jobs and support families, this creates an immediate economic concern — not just a legal one.
Yes. Even with processing delays, immigration attorneys generally advise that you attend any scheduled asylum interview. Failing to appear can result in abandonment of your case. Similarly, you may still file an I-589 even if processing is slower than normal — but you should consult an attorney about strategy before doing so, as the situation is developing as of June 2026.
Losing CHNV parole does not necessarily mean you have no options — but the remaining paths require careful, individualized analysis. Here are the most common alternatives an immigration attorney will evaluate for you:
Critically, not every option fits every person. The correct path depends on your country of origin, your family ties, your work history, and the specific facts of your case. There is no universal answer — and generic advice from non-lawyers can cause serious, irreversible harm.
Few regions in the United States feel this more acutely than South Florida. The Miami metropolitan area — including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties — is home to one of the largest concentrations of CHNV program participants in the country. Doral has a large Venezuelan population. Haitian communities anchor neighborhoods in North Miami, Hialeah, and Miramar. Cuban arrivals through the CHNV process settled across Miami-Dade.
Local attorneys and community organizations have reported a surge in consultations since termination notices began arriving. The combination of terminated parole status, constrained asylum processing, and revoked or suspended work permits is creating layered legal emergencies — people unsure whether they can still work, whether they should self-report to immigration authorities, or whether removal is imminent.
The answer to most of those questions is: consult an immigration attorney before taking any action. Do not self-report, do not abandon a pending application, and do not assume your situation is hopeless.
Ekaterina Fitenko, Esq., of Fitenko Law PLLC in Hallandale Beach advises that the single most important step any affected person can take is a one-on-one legal consultation — before any deadline passes and before any government notice goes unanswered.
Here is what you should bring to or prepare for that consultation:
Time matters. Some immigration deadlines are jurisdictional — missing them can permanently foreclose an option. The situation is also legally fluid: court decisions, agency memos, and policy reversals can change the landscape between now and when you read this. What is true as of June 2026 may look different by fall.
Fitenko Law PLLC handles family-based immigration, asylum, marriage-based green cards, and a full range of employment and investor visas. The firm is bilingual (English and Russian) and serves clients across Greater Miami and South Florida.
Fitenko Law PLLC
600 Three Islands Blvd, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
Phone: (305) 315-3425
Call (305) 315-3425 today or use our online contact form to schedule a consultation. Our team will review your specific situation, evaluate every available pathway, and help you make a clear-eyed decision — not a panicked one.
Losing parole status does create deportation risk, but it does not mean removal is automatic or immediate. Many people have pending applications or other status claims that may provide some protection. You should consult an immigration attorney before taking any action — including responding to a government notice. Situations vary significantly depending on individual facts.
DHS announced the revocation of CHNV-based (C11 category) employment authorization, and as of June 2026 federal policy has also placed holds on pending work-authorization (EAD) requests tied to related asylum applications. If your work permit was tied solely to your CHNV parole, it may no longer be valid once parole is terminated. If you have a separate, independent basis for work authorization, that may be unaffected. An attorney can review your specific documentation.
No. A processing hold is not a denial. Your case remains pending. Attending scheduled interviews is still strongly recommended — failing to appear can result in your case being administratively closed or denied. Continue working with an immigration attorney to monitor developments, which are ongoing as of June 2026.
Yes. Depending on your circumstances, options may include family-based petitions, marriage-based adjustment of status, employment-based visas, withholding of removal, or Convention Against Torture protections. Each option has its own eligibility rules. An immigration attorney should review your complete profile to identify every viable path.
Fitenko Law PLLC serves all of Greater Miami and South Florida from our Hallandale Beach office at 600 Three Islands Blvd. Call (305) 315-3425 to schedule a consultation. We are bilingual and handle family-based immigration, asylum, marriage-based green cards, and employment-based visas.
This article is general information only, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration law changes frequently — particularly the developing situation described here — and individual circumstances vary. Consult a licensed immigration attorney for advice specific to your case.
Fitenko Law PLLC, 600 Three Islands Blvd, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. Phone: (305) 315-3425. Email: fitenkolaw@gmail.com