The End of CHNV Parole: Court Rulings and What Parolees Can Do

On September 12, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit vacated the federal court order that had paused the government's termination of the CHNV parole programs — the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans and their immediate family members. That ruling in Doe v. Noem (No. 25-1384) followed the Supreme Court's May 30, 2025 stay order, and it confirmed on appeal what had been true in practice since June 2025: DHS could move ahead with ending these paroles and the work permits tied to them. You can read the opinion on govinfo.gov (opens in new tab) and the original termination notice in the Federal Register (opens in new tab).

This article explains, in plain language, what DHS did, what the courts decided, what notices parolees received, and which questions are worth raising with a lawyer. It is general information, not legal advice.

The DHS termination notice (March 25, 2025)

DHS published "Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans" in the Federal Register on March 25, 2025, at 90 FR 13611 (FR Doc. 2025-05128). According to the notice:

• DHS ended the CHNV parole programs as of March 25, 2025.
• For people paroled under these programs whose parole had not already expired by April 24, 2025, parole would terminate on April 24, 2025, unless the Secretary made an individual decision otherwise.
• Parolees without a lawful basis to remain "must depart the United States before their parole termination date."
• DHS said about 532,000 people were paroled under the programs between October 19, 2022, and January 22, 2025.
• Parole-based work permits under category (c)(11) (8 CFR 274a.12(c)(11)) would be revoked on notice, because DHS considered that the parole they rested on no longer existed.

The notice also said DHS intended to prioritize for removal people who had not, before the notice was published, properly filed an immigration benefit request — it named adjustment of status, asylum, Temporary Protected Status, and T or U status — and who were not the beneficiary of a petition filed by someone else, such as a petition for an alien relative. DHS added that people who had since obtained a lawful status or other basis to remain "are not required to depart" under the notice. The legal authority for parole itself is 8 U.S.C. § 1182(d)(5), which our parole explainer covers in more detail.

The litigation: from Boston to the Supreme Court and back

District court. Parolees and supporters challenged the termination in Doe v. Noem, No. 1:25-cv-10495, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. On April 14, 2025, the court certified a class of CHNV parolees and stayed the termination insofar as it revoked previously granted parole and work authorization without case-by-case review. USCIS posted at the time that the termination notices sent to parolees were stayed and not in effect.

Supreme Court. The government asked the Supreme Court for a stay (No. 24A1079, Noem v. Doe). On May 30, 2025, the Court granted it: the district court's order was stayed pending the First Circuit appeal and any petition for certiorari. Justice Jackson, joined by Justice Sotomayor, dissented. On June 6, 2025, USCIS announced that, with this decision, DHS "may proceed with terminating parole" under the CHNV programs and with revoking parole-based employment authorization.

First Circuit. On September 12, 2025, a First Circuit panel held that the plaintiffs had not made a strong showing that they were likely to succeed in arguing that the Secretary exceeded her authority under the INA or acted without adequate reasoning, and it vacated the district court's order and remanded. The court noted that its holding was limited to the arguments raised in that appeal; the complaint also includes a due process claim and other claims. The opinion is reported at 152 F.4th 272.

Where the case stands. The case continues in the District of Massachusetts, which has since addressed other parole programs as well. In a March 11, 2026 memorandum, the district court noted that plaintiffs had moved for summary judgment on their claims against the CHNV notice. As of October 2026, we found no court order that again blocks the CHNV terminations. USCIS's CHNV page now points to its June 6, 2025 update as the latest one.

The notices parolees received

DHS said it would give each parolee individual notice through their USCIS online account, in addition to the Federal Register notice. On June 12, 2025, DHS announced it had begun sending termination notices to CHNV parolees, by email, stating that their parole was terminated and their parole-based work permit revoked, effective immediately. USCIS likewise said that people whose parole is terminated and whose employment authorization is revoked "will receive notification in their myUSCIS account."

DHS also urged people without status to leave using the CBP Home mobile app, which it said offered travel assistance and a $1,000 exit payment at the time. Whether leaving is right for you depends on your case: departure can affect pending applications and can trigger bars to returning (see our guide to unlawful presence and the 3- and 10-year bars). Get advice before you decide.

What affected people can consider

The termination ends the parole itself. The notice does not say it cancels applications you already filed. Instead, it treats a properly filed application as a factor in who DHS prioritizes for removal. Whether a particular pending application gives you a lawful basis to remain, protects you from removal, or keeps a work permit is a separate question that depends on the application and your history. Options people commonly review include:

• Asylum. If you have a fear of returning, an asylum application may be possible, but the one-year filing deadline and its exceptions matter. See our asylum guide and our article on the one-year deadline.
• Cuban Adjustment Act. USCIS says a Cuban native or citizen may apply for a green card if, among other requirements, they were inspected and admitted or paroled after January 1, 1959, and have been physically present in the U.S. for at least one year when they file Form I-485. Many CHNV parolees from Cuba may fit that description, but each case must be checked. See our adjustment of status guide.
• Temporary Protected Status. TPS for Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela has changed since 2025, through separate DHS decisions and court cases. Check the current status for your country in our TPS guide and our overview of TPS terminations.
• Family or employment petitions filed for you, and T or U status for victims of trafficking or certain crimes.
• Removal proceedings. If you receive a Notice to Appear, the immigration judge decides your case, and you can ask for relief there. Never miss a hearing.

A work permit issued under a different category — for example, one based on a pending asylum application or a pending green card application — is not a parole-based (c)(11) permit. Check the category printed on your card and ask a lawyer how the termination affects it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did CHNV parole end?

DHS ended the programs on March 25, 2025. For parolees whose parole had not already expired, the notice set April 24, 2025, as the termination date. A court paused that from April 14 until the Supreme Court's May 30, 2025 stay, and DHS began sending termination notices on June 12, 2025.

What did the First Circuit decide on September 12, 2025?

It vacated the district court's order that had stayed the termination, finding the plaintiffs had not shown they were likely to win on the arguments raised in that appeal. The case continues in the district court on other claims.

Is my work permit still valid?

DHS said it would revoke parole-based (c)(11) work permits and notify people through their USCIS online account. A work permit in a different category, such as one tied to a pending asylum or green card application, is a separate document. Check your card's category and your USCIS account.

Does the termination cancel my pending asylum, TPS or green card application?

The notice does not say it cancels pending applications; it uses them as a factor in removal priorities. How your own application is affected depends on its type and your history, so have it reviewed.

Can a Cuban CHNV parolee apply under the Cuban Adjustment Act?

USCIS lists being admitted or paroled after January 1, 1959, and one year of physical presence among the requirements, along with admissibility and discretion. Many Cuban parolees may qualify, but eligibility must be confirmed case by case.

If you or a family member came to the United States through the CHNV parole programs, Carlos Maury, a former U.S. Immigration Judge, can review your notices, your pending applications and your options. Call (213) 769-0050. We speak Spanish.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Immigration law is complex and fact-specific, and policies and court orders change; consult a qualified immigration attorney about your situation and verify current information at uscis.gov and dhs.gov. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.

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