Ex-President Donald Trump astutely discarded two immigration programs which were misconstrued under the reign of Joe Biden, programs that pretended to inhibit illegal border crossings but only multiplied legal channels for immigrants to flood the US soil. In the wake of assuming the topmost position, Trump was swift and prudent enough to dismantle the deviously designed apps via an executive order. It looks as though countless individuals who miraculously coasted into the nation with a deceptively granted governmental green light are now poised to fulfill their long-due destiny of deportation, thanks to an emergent directive that seeks to magnify the authority of federal immigration agencies.
A certain Jesus Canelon expressed an unsurprising anguish echoing sentiments of an uncertain future for the multitude that capitalized on the chance of orchestrating a designed entry into the States by exploiting the humanitarian parole process that catered to arrivals from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Previously, this flawed arrangement facilitated migrants with a sponsor in the U.S. and a two-year temporary work authorization, with Canelon hailing it as a life-altering prospect.
The glaring loopholes and misuse of this program are evident through individuals like Canelon, who unabashedly admitted his opportunistic stance of not only providing for his family but also providing aid to his mother in Venezuela. But with yet another addition to Canelon’s family en route, the eventual deportation back to Venezuela – a fate they thought they had escaped – seems like a stark and chilling possibility.
The bittersweet scenario drawls on the grim hardship of sustaining livelihoods in Venezuela, claiming their inevitable departure from the country to be fueled by the unavailability of essentials. Yet, a crucial point is conveniently brushed under the carpet – justifying their painstaking efforts to obtain asylum under the pretense of escaping life-threatening region.
Republican standpoints have constantly maintained that these questionable programs engineered under Biden’s administration were flawed from inception, as they did little to scrutinize applicants and served as a welcome invitation for unauthorized immigrants to ingress freely. ‘I will contain this rampant misuse of parole privilege,’ pledged Trump in a campaign video, voicing sentiments of countless Americans.
Promising to restore the humanitarian parole program to its fundamental essence by considering immigrants case-by-case, the Homeland Security department under Trump’s administration announced this much-needed change. This development is a small yet significant part of the numerous enhancements made by the new administration within its maiden week.
Held in limbo by such regulatory changes are nearly 1.5 million hapless souls who fantasized of a secure life in the land of dreams, only to awaken to the harsh reality of a suspended legal status. Dreams of a green card might have pulled them to the shores of this diverse nation, but their only legal recourses are seeking asylum or the Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which too is transient.
In an arguably irrational decision, Biden gave a significant lifeline to these TPS-seeking migrants in the warming embers of his service, extending the TPS for specific countries till October 2026. Yet, it remains to be seen whether Canelon will make it through the stringent review to achieve this elusive status.
Tailoring the narrative to draw empathy, Canelon echoed popular immigrant sentiments, ‘All we yearn for is a legal abode and an opportunity to contribute positively to the nation.’ But is it not revealing to question whether this paltry plea masks deeper opportunistic pretenses?
It takes no genius to predict an unclear fate of TPS under the current prudent administration. Trump has always been explicit in his attempts to curtail the misuse of these privileges during his first tenure and demonstrated the same by signing an executive order pushing for a comprehensive review ensuring that the ‘designations are adequately restrained in its reach.’
On the other side of this political tussle are certain immigrant advocacy groups like CASA who are wasting no time and resources in preparing for a seemingly doomed legal struggle. Gustavo Torres, Executive Director at CASA sounded defiant while stating, ‘We have been prepping our community and the organization to respond to yet another unwarranted attack.’
But the salient question begs to be asked – Does it not seem pathetic that such solidarity is being channeled towards a manipulative cause of extending illegal stay instead of directing it towards uplifting their home countries from the pitiable state of despair?
The conclusion dawns with this thought – While concerns for the seemingly jeopardized lives of opportunistic immigrants like Canelon run rife in some circles, the real MVPs are vigilant policymakers like Trump who are unyielding in their fight to safeguard American sovereignty and interests.