The Biden administration has announced that it will not extend the two-year program that allowed migrants from certain nations into the U.S. if they arrived by plane with sponsorship. This program began in 2022 with Venezuelans and was later expanded to include Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans. It provided them with the opportunity to live and work in the U.S. while seeking other legal status.
The decision not to extend the program comes just ahead of the 2024 presidential election, with Democrat Kamala Harris taking a tougher stance on immigration. Meanwhile, Republican Donald Trump has criticized the administration’s immigration policies, targeting migrants, particularly Haitians, in recent weeks.
Homeland Security officials have stated that those who have reached the two-year mark must now apply for a different type of legal status, leave the country, or face deportation. There are other pathways available for many of these migrants, including temporary protected status for Venezuelans and Haitians.
The intention of the two-year program was to allow individuals to seek humanitarian relief or other immigration benefits they may be eligible for, and to work and contribute to the United States. New migrants arriving at the border may still apply for the program, and it does not impact those from Afghanistan or Ukraine.
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