Key Takeaways:
- Over 1.6 million immigrants have lost their legal status in the first 11 months of President Trump’s presidency.
- The Trump administration has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 10 countries, affecting thousands of people.
- The administration has also canceled the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to schedule appointments to seek asylum.
- The diversity visa lottery program has been paused, and the Family Reunification Parole program has been canceled.
- Thousands of migrants are at risk of losing their legal status in 2026, including those from El Salvador, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Introduction to the Issue
The Trump administration has taken a significant step in revoking the legal status of over 1.6 million immigrants in the first 11 months of President Trump’s presidency. This number includes people who applied for and were accepted to come to the country on a wide variety of immigration parole, visa, asylum, and temporary protected status programs. The staggering number exceeds Philadelphia’s entire population, making it the largest effort to take away deportation protections for migrants who are in the country legally. Immigration advocates say it’s very likely an undercount, and many of the immigrants who lost legal status have been in the country for years, fearing what could happen should their immigration cases not process quickly enough.
The Impact on Immigrants
The Trump administration’s actions have left many immigrants in a state of uncertainty and fear. For example, Grebi Suárez, a Venezuelan barber who entered the U.S. through the CBP One app, recently received his work permit and Social Security number, but is anxious and scared because some of his friends have received emails from the government telling them to self-deport. Similarly, Viktoriia Panova, a Ukrainian who came to the U.S. under the Uniting for Ukraine parole program, has been concerned about the uncertainty surrounding her program, which has been paused and resumed. Her work permit expired in February, adding to the anxiety and uncertainty she’s felt since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Trump Administration’s Goals
The Trump administration has made it clear that scrapping prior legal pathways and protections is part of its goal. According to Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, "The Trump administration has done more to limit migration, both illegal and legal, than any administration in history." The administration has cut off avenues, including pausing and revoking visas, and has argued that having a visa in the United States is not a right, but a privilege that can be revoked. The administration has also encouraged immigrants to leave the country as it gets rid of their legal authorization, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Matthew Tragesser stating that "The American taxpayer will no longer bear the financial burden of unlawfully present aliens."
Canceled Programs and Permissions
The Trump administration has ended several programs and permissions, including the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to schedule appointments to seek asylum. The app was used by over 936,000 people from 2023 to January 2025, but its cancellation has left many migrants in limbo. The administration has also paused the diversity visa lottery program, which has been used by thousands of people to gain entry into the United States. Additionally, the administration has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 10 countries, affecting thousands of people. The countries affected include Syria, Venezuela, and several countries in Central and South America.
The Future of Immigration
The future of immigration in the United States remains uncertain, with several thousand more migrants at risk of losing their legal status in 2026. The TPS permissions for El Salvador, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen are set to expire next year, and the Uniting for Ukraine parole program is also at risk of cancellation. The Trump administration’s actions have created a climate of fear and uncertainty among immigrants, and it remains to be seen how the administration’s policies will impact the lives of millions of people. As Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, an immigration advocacy organization, said, "These were legal pathways. People did the thing the government asked them to do, and this government went and preemptively revoked that status."
