MIAMI, United States. – The Donald Trump Administration has given the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency broader powers to quickly deport migrants who entered the United States legally under Biden-era programs such as the parole humanitarian and the CBP One app.
This is confirmed by an internal memo obtained by The New York Timessigned Thursday night by the acting head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to the document, ICE authorities will be able to expel migrants who were part of two key initiatives of the Joe Biden Administration: the CBP One application – which allowed appointments to be scheduled to enter the country – and the program parole humanitarianwhich authorized the temporary entry of migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti.
Both measures sought to provide legal avenues to discourage irregular border crossings. In total, about 1.4 million people had entered the United States through these programs since the beginning of 2023.
According to the report, Trump’s intention is to “use every facet of the immigration control apparatus” to toughen policies, not only against those who cross the border without authorization, but also against those who entered following current procedures.
Stephen Miller, a key figure in the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, made clear his opposition to Biden’s programs: “Here’s an idea: don’t bring millions of illegal immigrants from failed states, from thousands of miles away, to small towns.” in the heart of the United States.”
The announcement has sparked immediate concern among immigrant advocates and former Biden officials. Tom Jawetz, a top lawyer for the Department of Homeland Security during the previous administration, called the measure “an outrageous and unprecedented betrayal” and added that it impacts people who followed established legal steps.
Karen Tumlin, director of the Justice Action Center, warned that these deportations could also include migrants from Afghanistan and Ukraine, benefiting under similar programs. “American communities have opened their hearts and homes to people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Afghanistan and Ukraine,” Tumlin said. “Punishing those who did everything the Government asked, and many of whom had sponsors based in the United States, by subjecting them to this summary deportation process, is appalling.”
The memo describes that ICE agents can “terminate” pending deportation cases and transfer them to an even more expedited process. Furthermore, they reserve the right to withdraw the status of parole (temporary residence) to those who received it under the initiatives of the Biden Administration, including Cubans and citizens of other countries.
At the same time, defense organizations have filed lawsuits against the expansion of these powers. Anand Balakrishnan, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), stated: “The Trump administration wants to use this illegal policy to further its agenda of mass deportations and tear apart communities.”
