The Department of Homeland Security is urging 500,000 foreign nationals who came to the United States legally to self-deport or risk being forcibly removed.
The Trump administration said orders encouraging nationals of the four nations to self-deport were sent starting on Thursday. Nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela are affected by the decision.
The foreign nationals were part of a parole program implemented by the Biden administration. The Trump administration claims the nationals were "poorly vetted" by the Biden administration.
The nationals were admitted to the U.S. based on a provision allowing officials the discretion to grant temporary legal status despite lacking any legal basis for admission.
"Individuals who are outside of the United States may be able to request parole into the United States based on urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit," DHS said.
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Those granted parole are generally required to have a sponsor provide financial support during their time in the U.S.
Those granted parole also generally must meet "urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit" standards.
“The Biden Administration lied to America. They allowed more than half a million poorly vetted aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela and their immediate family members to enter the United States through these disastrous parole programs; granted them opportunities to compete for American jobs and undercut American workers; forced career civil servants to promote the programs even when fraud was identified; and then blamed Republicans in Congress for the chaos that ensued and the crime that followed,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The administration said that those sent emails who accept self-deportation could be given $1,000 to assist with their relocation back to their home nation.
