Venezuelan music teacher faces deportation as parole program ends

Key Takeaways

• CHNV humanitarian parole ends April 24, 2025, affecting over 500,000 legal migrants from four countries.
• All pending applications are canceled; work authorization and protection against deportation are revoked after deadline.
• A federal court issued a temporary stay, but uncertainty remains as legal challenges proceed and options narrow.

A Venezuelan music teacher who entered the United States 🇺🇸 lawfully through a humanitarian parole program now faces deportation, along with more than half a million other migrants, because of a major change in government policy. The end of the Cuba-Haiti-Nicaragua-Venezuela (CHNV) parole initiative—announced suddenly by the current administration—has left thousands of legal workers and families in crisis. These individuals, once assured of a safe stay and a chance to work, are now being told they must leave very soon or face arrest.

This story is about more than just one person’s struggle. It highlights the problems many encounter when policies shift quickly, and it shows how even those who follow every rule can suffer lifelong consequences when government programs end without warning.

What Was the Humanitarian Parole Program?

The CHNV humanitarian parole program was started in January 2023 as part of President Biden’s plan to address people fleeing dangerous situations in Venezuela 🇻🇪, Cuba 🇨🇺, Haiti 🇭🇹, and Nicaragua 🇳🇮. The goal was to allow up to 30,000 people from these countries into the United States 🇺🇸 each month, for up to two years, as long as they had a U.S. sponsor—someone who promised to support them financially. This program did not give permanent status, but it did offer work permits, letting people like teachers, nurses, and skilled workers take jobs and build a new life safely.

Many who came through the CHNV program quickly joined their new communities. Some became local teachers, some managed small businesses, and many contributed to the economy and culture of their new towns and cities. As reported by VisaVerge.com, migrants in this program felt protected and valued, believing that their lawful status would give them strong footing to seek a longer-term solution like asylum or, perhaps, legal permanent residency.

Yet, the end of the program has brought this hope into question.

What Changed: Sudden End to Legal Protection

On March 21, 2025, the administration announced—through an official statement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—that the CHNV process was ending. By March 25, it became clear that all pending applications under the humanitarian parole program would be canceled right away. This decision was posted in the Federal Register, a trusted record of government actions that makes policy changes public.

The worst news was that, no matter their original approval or end dates, all humanitarian parole permissions for people from Venezuela 🇻🇪, Cuba 🇨🇺, Haiti 🇭🇹, and Nicaragua 🇳🇮 would run out on April 24, 2025. After that, unless people had already filed for some other legal status—like asylum or Temporary Protected Status (TPS)—they would be considered “out of status.” This means:

• They would lose their work authorization.
• They would no longer have government protection against deportation.
• If they stay beyond the new deadline, they risk arrest and being sent back to their home country.

For many, including the Venezuelan music teacher, this meant that the time in the U.S. 🇺🇸 promised to them had suddenly been cut short by up to six months or more.

A Personal Story: The Case of a Venezuelan Music Teacher

One person deeply affected by the end of the CHNV parole program is Fabian Torrence, a music teacher from Venezuela 🇻🇪. He applied legally, followed every rule, and entered the U.S. 🇺🇸 through the humanitarian parole system. His parole was originally supposed to last until November 2025. Now, because of the policy change, he has only until April 24—just a few weeks—to figure out his next steps.

Torrence captured the feelings of many when he said:

“If I came here illegally and they are deporting me because I did something illegal … it was a risk that I took. But if I came here legally … that was not an option in my head.”

He, and many others like him—teachers, doctors, small business owners, and students—feel that the rug has been pulled out from under them. They now face either leaving the U.S. 🇺🇸, with all that it means for their futures, or hoping for a court order or a new program that could give them another chance.

Nationwide Impact: More Than 500,000 at Risk

The music teacher’s experience is just one example among over 500,000 people who are suddenly at risk due to the end of the humanitarian parole program. These people came legally. They followed the rules, obtained sponsors, and were granted a lawful stay through a formal process. Many were in important jobs—some in public schools, some in healthcare settings, others supporting their communities in less visible ways.

Now, most must rush to apply for new forms of relief—such as asylum or TPS. Applying for these is not easy. There are legal requirements, paperwork, deadlines, and sometimes high fees. Not everyone has the resources or guidance needed, especially with so little time to act.

The pressure affects broader communities as well. School districts, employers, churches, and neighbors who sponsored these migrants are trying to help, but the new rules do not leave much room for last-minute solutions. Some are seeking emergency legal advice, while others are appealing to Congress and the courts for help.

Legal Uncertainty and Court Challenges

The change in policy did not go without protest. On April 14, a federal judge issued a temporary order stopping DHS from removing people right away. This “stay” means that, at least for now, migrants who were at risk of immediate deportation can remain in the U.S. 🇺🇸 while legal arguments continue.

But the legal battle is far from settled. The temporary court order might be lifted or changed at any time, and no one knows exactly how long it will last. The final outcome will depend on what judges decide, which can be unpredictable.

For those in the program, this provides only a brief moment of hope—and a lot of uncertainty. Many are afraid to make plans, sign leases, or accept long-term work offers because they do not know if they will be allowed to remain in the U.S. 🇺🇸 next month or even next week.

Differences Before and After Program Cancellation

To help make sense of what has changed, here’s a clear look at the situation before and after the program’s sudden end:

Responses and Tensions

The end of the CHNV humanitarian parole program has sparked debate inside and outside the government. Some believe it’s necessary to enforce rules strictly and limit the number of people entering the country. Others say ending the program without fair warning betrays those who trusted the U.S. 🇺🇸 system and who tried to do everything legally.

Supporters of the music teacher and other migrants argue that sending people back, especially to places with ongoing violence or political unrest, risks their safety. Organizations that work with immigrants are flooded with calls for help and are struggling to keep up.

On the other hand, some policymakers and members of the administration say that the program was always meant to be temporary. They highlight the need for more lasting changes to immigration law—changes that only Congress can provide through new laws, not through short-term programs.

What Options Do Migrants Have Now?

With the CHNV humanitarian parole program now ended, people like the Venezuelan music teacher must search quickly for another way to stay. The main paths left are:

• Asylum: This is protection for people who fear going back to their countries because of danger or persecution. Applying requires showing evidence, completing Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, and usually attending a hearing.
• Temporary Protected Status (TPS): This status can be open to people from some countries where conditions are too dangerous or unstable—for example, due to war or natural disasters. TPS allows a person to stay and work legally for a set period, but it does not lead to permanent residency.
• Other grounds for relief: Some might qualify under family or employment sponsorship, but these paths are often long and require meeting strict requirements.

If none of these options apply, the only choices are to leave the country before the new deadline or face being forced out.

USCIS provides up-to-date information about TPS and similar programs on its official humanitarian page.

Uncertainty for Employers, Schools, and Sponsors

The sudden end to legal status creates problems for more than just the migrants themselves. Teachers like Torrence are caught in the middle, but so are:

• School districts, who depend on staff hired legally under CHNV
• Businesses that have invested in training and hiring workers from these groups
• Sponsors, such as churches and local leaders, who promised to support migrants based on the government’s earlier word

Many now feel let down by the sudden change and are worried about the impact on their workforces, students, and whole communities.

Historic Patterns: Not the First Time

History shows that sudden changes to humanitarian programs are not new in the United States 🇺🇸. Past administrations have ended or limited similar parole or TPS programs, often causing hardship and confusion. This pattern has led many experts, including those at VisaVerge.com, to call for more stable and predictable immigration policies that give both individuals and communities time to adjust when new rules take effect.

What’s Next?

For now, the fate of the Venezuelan music teacher and thousands like him hangs in the balance. The court order means deportations cannot start immediately, but that protection might end with little notice. Unless Congress passes new laws or the courts decide in favor of the migrants, many will have to leave or live with the risk of being forced out.

Key points to remember:

• Over 500,000 migrants from Venezuela 🇻🇪, Cuba 🇨🇺, Haiti 🇭🇹, and Nicaragua 🇳🇮 could lose their legal status and right to work almost overnight.
• Even those who came legally through the CHNV parole process—such as a Venezuelan music teacher—are at risk.
• The legal fight is ongoing, but the outcome is still unknown.
• Community leaders urge affected migrants to seek legal advice immediately, apply for any possible relief, and stay informed about court decisions.

The CHNV humanitarian parole program was seen by many as a humane answer to difficult problems abroad. Its sudden end shows how quickly things can change, even for those who follow every rule. For the thousands facing an uncertain future, the coming weeks may decide where and how they will live—whether in the United States 🇺🇸 or in a place they risked everything to leave behind.

For continuous updates and resources on these changes, visit the official USCIS CHNV program announcement.

Learn Today

Humanitarian Parole → A temporary permission allowing individuals to enter or stay in the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons.
CHNV Program → A parole initiative allowing limited lawful entry for people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela from January 2023 to April 2025.
Asylum → Protection granted to individuals in the U.S. who fear persecution in their home countries due to various threats.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) → A U.S. provision allowing nationals from designated countries to live and work temporarily due to unsafe conditions at home.
Out of Status → A term describing individuals who have stayed in the U.S. after their authorized period has expired, making them subject to removal.

This Article in a Nutshell

A Venezuelan music teacher lawfully in the U.S. now faces deportation, along with over 500,000 migrants, after the government ended the CHNV humanitarian parole program. With legal protections expiring April 24, 2025, many must urgently seek relief, as courts temporarily halt removals amid widespread uncertainty and anxiety.
— By VisaVerge.com

Read more:

• CHNV parole program: What to do if your sponsor withdraws support
• US issues new self-deportation notices to paroled immigrants
• U.S. government targets self-deportation for paroled immigrants
• USCIS emails create confusion for humanitarian parolees
• What the End of CHNV Parole Means for Migrants