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Immigrants have never been more critical to the U.S. economy. They represent 19% of the labor force and work in all industries and sectors. This economic relevance comes at a time when the Trump administration has announced policies to end some immigration programs and, consequently, work authorizations for various immigrants. In addition, other groups like Dreamers are waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows them to reside and work legally in the country.
From an economic perspective, it is important to know how many immigrants could lose their work authorization before the end of the year and how that would affect the U.S. economy. We estimate that the number could surpass 2 million. This fact sheet will provide a quick overview of the different groups facing either an imminent or potential revocation of their respective work authorizations.
Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Veezuela (CHNV) Parole Program
On March 25, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked humanitarian parole protections for individuals covered under the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) parole program. This announcement would leave over 530,000 CHNV parolees without work authorization in the United States and at risk of deportation. On April 15, however, a Federal Court blocked the Trump administration from ending the program.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
TPS is a government protection that allows eligible foreign-born individuals to temporarily work and live in the United States due to unsafe conditions in their countries of origin. Currently, the U.S. provides TPS protections to about 863,880 individuals from 16 countries. However, the Trump administration has ordered the termination of TPS for over 344,000 Venezuelans, 200,000 Haitians, 8,000 Afghans, and 3,200 Cameroonians. In addition, President Trump announced he is weighing whether to terminate TPS for over 50,000 Ukrainians. So far, the courts have only temporarily stopped the termination of TPS for Venezuelans. Finally, it is essential to highlight that President Trump unsuccessfully worked to end TPS during his first administration. If he tries again to end TPS in his second term, around 863,880 work authorizations would be in jeopardy. Below is a list of the expiration dates of TPS designations.[1]
CBP One
Migrants who were temporarily allowed to work and live in the United States by using an online app called CBP One have been ordered to leave the country immediately. This decision is expected to affect more than 900,000 people who have been allowed into the country using the CBP One app since January 2023.
Uniting for Ukraine
Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) is a streamlined process that provides Ukrainian nationals who have fled Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression opportunities to come to the U.S. Currently, there are over 240,000 Ukrainians who have benefited from the program. However, President Trump has announced that he is considering ending the program.
Afghan Allies
In the aftermath of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, over 85,000 Afghans were evacuated from the country, including more than 76,000 who entered the U.S. with temporary parole, which allowed them to live and work legally in the United States. However, the Trump administration is expected to end the protections for these Afghan nationals.
South Sudanese Nationals
The immigration status and work authorizations of over 2,ooo South Sudanese nationals residing in the United States remain uncertain after the Trump Administration revoked their visas over diplomatic disputes with the African country.
DACA
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a policy that protects qualifying young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, temporarily shielding them from deportation and providing them work authorization with possible renewal every two years. Approximately 530,000 Dreamers are currently protected under DACA. However, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled against DACA, holding that the program was unlawful. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the matter this year. If they upheld the District Court’s decision, all Dreamers could lose their work authorizations.
International Students In the last few months, thousands of international students with minor infractions had their visas revoked. After intense scrutiny from the courts, the Department of Justice restored the student visas. However, on April 25, the Trump administration announced a new policy to terminate student visas for multiple reasons. While international students are only allowed to work on campus before they graduate, most of them are eligible to work in the United States for up to 36 months after graduation through a program called Optional Practical Training (OPT). The revocation of student visas could potentially lead to a scarcity of highly educated talent in the country.
[1] The DHS Secretary can extend TPS after a review of country conditions. A decision concerning an extension must be made at least 60 days before the TPS designation is set to expire. The Secretary can extend the TPS designation for a six, 12 or 18-month period or decide to cancel the designation. TPS extensions only apply to those who already have TPS status. Foreign nationals who arrive after the designated start date (i.e. “required arrival date”) are only made eligible for status if TPS is newly re-designated for their country.