US court ruling to end 'parole' a setback for future asylum seekers
New Delhi: The US Supreme Court's decision to end the
CHNV humanitarian parole program
, potentially returning 532,000 people to their home countries, could have far-reaching repercussions, not just for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, but for future asylum and parole efforts including those for Indians, immigration attorneys warn.
The acronym CHNV refers to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. It's used in the context of a
US Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) parole program that has been terminated.
Immigration attorneys point to the ruling as a harbinger of a more aggressive
immigration rollback
. 'We can immediately expect this ruling to be cited by the
Trump
administration in litigation for every baseless, improvident, and even unlawful immigrant protection program termination going forward,' said Brian Murray, senior partner of Murray Osorio.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Nvidia's AI Growth Story Deepens
Seeking Alpha
Read More
Undo
Experts said even asylum seekers who cite political, social, economic and religious persecution in their home countries as a pretext to gain quicker residency and citizenship could feel the strain. This includes Indian nationals, whose numbers, according to the latest Annual Asylees Annual Flow Report of the Department of Homeland Security, rose 855% from 4,330 in FY21 to 41,330 in FY23.
(Join our
ETNRI WhatsApp channel
for all the latest updates)
'Even Indian and South Asian asylum seekers, though not direct beneficiaries of parole in large numbers, are indirectly affected,' said
Tushar Kumar
, advocate at the Supreme Court of India. 'Many of them are held at the southern US border or released on limited
humanitarian grounds
pending adjudication. Should the current precedent be extended, they may face longer detentions, reduced access to discretionary relief, and a heightened evidentiary burden to establish grounds for asylum, constricting access to justice.'
Live Events
Deepak Ahluwalia, managing partner of Singh Ahluwalia, warns that entire populations depending on mass parole may now be forced to navigate slower, more restricted immigration pathways. 'Populations relying on mass parole programs and potentially vulnerable Indian or South Asian nationals fleeing political or religious persecution could face barriers to entry. The current administration is ripping each fabric of our immigration policy—little by little.'
The court's decision allows the federal government to dismantle the CHNV program, which had enabled thousands of migrants to live and work legally in the US. Experts say a powerful precedent, one enabling administrations to end group-based parole programs wholesale, has now been set.
'Future administrations might feel they have the authority to change or completely cancel humanitarian parole programs without needing to assess individual cases,' said Samuel McTyre, principal at McTyre Gutierrez PLLC.
McTyre added that the human and economic toll of the decision would be significant.
'This termination could result in painful family separations and the forced return of individuals to potentially dangerous environments. The CHNV program enabled migrants to work legally, contributing to vital sectors such as healthcare, construction, and hospitality. Revoking their work authorisation could lead to considerable labour shortages and broader economic disruptions.'
Experts estimate a potential annual loss of approximately $5.5 billion to the US economy.
Kumar believes that the decision also risks putting the US at odds with its international obligations. 'The essence of non-refoulement lies in the guarantee that no person shall be returned to a territory where they face threats to life or liberty.'
Kumar also flagged the domestic operational consequences, saying 'Over time, this will deepen the burden on asylum officers and immigration judges, who are already confronting backlogs exceeding 2 million cases.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
36 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump to impose travel restrictions on 36 countries? Here's what we know
The Trump administration is contemplating about adding travel restrictions for 36 more countries. Some of them are close US partners, like Egypt and Djibouti. This is based on an internal memo reviewed by The Washington Post. The memo was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to US diplomats on Saturday. It says the listed countries have 60 days to follow new rules set by the State Department. The State Department said some of the countries have failed to meet certain standards, like having 'no competent or cooperative central government authority' to give out trusted identity documents. Others have 'a large number of citizens who have violated the terms of their visas.' The memo adds that if a country agrees to take back third-country nationals being deported from the US, it may help ease other concerns. The countries facing possible visa limits, travel bans, or other steps include 25 in Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Caribbean countries on the list are: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. The memo also names four countries in Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria. And three in Oceania: Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. These countries have until 8 a.m. Wednesday to send the State Department a first plan on how they will meet the new rules. A State Department spokesperson would not talk about the memo but said the department is always 'reevaluating policies to ensure Americans are safe and foreign nationals abide by the law.' It is still not clear if the new travel limits will begin after the deadline. Also Read: Donald Trump warns Iran: 'Full might of US military will come down on you if…' This memo comes one week after Trump brought back his first-term travel ban. That order blocks entry from 12 countries and limits travel from 7 others. In January, Trump signed another order asking the State Department to list countries 'for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension' on their citizens. These moves are part of Trump's larger immigration plan, including what he called the 'largest mass deportation operation' in U.S. history. His plan also includes canceling visas and ending protections for tens of thousands of immigrants.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
40 minutes ago
- First Post
PM Modi arrives in Cyprus, first Indian PM to visit in over 20 years
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday for a two day visit during which he will hold talks with President Nikos Christodoulides to strengthen bilateral ties. read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Cyprus on Sunday, beginning a two-day visit aimed at boosting bilateral relations with the Mediterranean nation. This is the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Cyprus in more than two decades. Modi's trip to Cyprus is the first stop on his three-nation tour, which will also include visits to Canada and Croatia. The prime minister is scheduled to hold talks with President Nikos Christodoulides. He will also engage with the business community at an event in Limassol as part of efforts to deepen economic ties between the two countries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD VIDEO | PM Modi (@narendramodi) arrives at Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus. During his visit, the Prime Minister will hold talks with Cyprus President Christodoulides and address business leaders in Limassol. (Source: Third Party) (Full video available on PTI Videos -… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 15, 2025 'Cyprus is a close friend and an important partner in the Mediterranean region and the EU. The visit provides an opportunity to build upon the historical bonds and expand our ties in the areas of trade, investment, security, technology and promote people-to-people exchanges,' Modi said in New Delhi in a departure statement. While in Cyprus' capital Nicosia, the prime minister will hold talks with President Christodoulides and address business leaders at Limassol, it said. From Cyprus, he will head to Kananaskis in Canada to participate in the G7 Summit at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Following the G7 Summit, Modi will visit Croatia and hold meetings with President Zoran Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. Modi said his three-nation tour is also an opportunity to thank partner countries for their steadfast support to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism and to galvanise global understanding on tackling terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Economic Times
42 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Air India plane crash: Air safety panel set up to advise on policy revamp
Following the devastating Air India Boeing 787-8 crash, the Indian government has formed a committee, led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan, to revamp aviation safety policies. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced the panel, tasking it with reviewing standard operating procedures and recommending improvements to prevent future incidents. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads ( Originally published on Jun 14, 2025 ) A committee led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan will suggest steps to overhaul India's aviation safety policy as the government is looking to prevent a recurrence of incidents such as Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane crash that killed more than 270 formation of the panel two days after the country's worst air crash, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said it will examine the existing standard operating procedures and make recommendations on how to prevent and handle such is besides the investigation that statutory body Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct. 'We have put a time limit of three months for them to sit down, talk to various stakeholders, involve and discuss with any other important expert that is necessary,' Naidu said at his first media briefing after Thursday's committee will include the heads of civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, as well as joint secretary-level officers from the state and central governments. It will also consult experts in aviation safety, accident investigators and under the civil aviation ministry, is investigating the crash, while the US National Transportation Safety Board will also be involved in the detailed probe, given that the aircraft was manufactured by an American company, Boeing, and was made in the US.A UK AAIB team will also assist in the investigation, as will Boeing and other major component manufacturers like GE, which supplied engines for the committee will hold its first meeting next week, according to a senior government official. It will study steps taken by other countries following such accidents and its suggestions will be incorporated in the National Civil Aviation Policy, which was launched in have been three fatal crashes in the US this year, which sparked calls for overhauling of the Federal Aviation Authority.'This accident is a jolt for all of us. But it is also a wake-up call and the committee will suggest measures to make it safer, looking at the scenario where aviation is no more a luxury but an essential mode of transport and transforming India into an aviation hub,' said the official cited.
