Attorney General James Co-Leads Coalition Defending Humanitarian Immigration Program

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of 17 other attorneys general in filing a brief urging the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to uphold an order blocking the federal government from mass-terminating humanitarian parole for more than 500,000 immigrants. The “Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela” (CHNV) parole program, established by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2022 and 2023, allows people from these countries to enter the country legally for humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Often, many are reuniting with family already residing in America. In an amicus brief filed today in Doe v. Noem, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that ending the CHNV parole program would harm public safety and economic stability, separate families, damage communities, and endanger immigrants.

“Humanitarian parole exists to support vulnerable individuals and families who have come to our country seeking safety and a better life,” said Attorney General James. “To suddenly strip thousands of parolees of their status would be cruel and unfair. These individuals contribute to our economy, support our health care system, and enrich communities across New York and nationwide. My office is fighting to protect humanitarian parolees, their families, and the communities that depend on them.”

Parole pathways like the CHNV program allow newly arrived immigrants to temporarily remain in the United States and join the workforce. On January 20, the president issued an executive order directing DHS to terminate humanitarian parole programs. DHS proceeded to issue a rule that stripped CHNV parole recipients of their immigration status and work authorization, effective April 24, and signaled its intent to remove any recipients who remained in the country.

In response to a lawsuit from parole recipients, supported by an amicus brief from Attorney General James and 15 other attorneys general, a federal district court blocked the move, citing the catastrophic harm it would inflict and the likelihood that DHS’s actions were unlawful. Now, Attorney General James and the coalition are urging the First Circuit to uphold that ruling and protect parolees.

In the brief, Attorney General James and the coalition emphasize that these immigrants are vital members of the workforce, pay substantial sums in state and local taxes, and wield significant spending power. In New York, immigrants made up 27.8 percent of the labor force in 2023 and held 75.1 percent of home health aide jobs and 67.7 percent of housekeeping jobs. Nationwide, 240,000 CHNV parole recipients are currently working in critical sectors, including manufacturing, construction, and health services. Ending parole pathways would deprive New York and other states of substantial economic and social contributions, increase costs, and threaten public safety.

Lastly, Attorney General James and the coalition assert that terminating parole would have severe humanitarian consequences for individuals fleeing violence, political persecution, and humanitarian crises in their home countries. The attorneys general argue that terminating CHNV parole would separate families and put current parolees at immediate risk of removal to countries with exceptionally dangerous living conditions. For many, returning would mean risking their lives. In addition, ending parole could have disastrous public safety effects, as it could deter immigrant communities from engaging with public institutions, including law enforcement.

Joining Attorney General James in filing the brief are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.