The 38-year-old asylum seeker from Afghanistan was preparing for his early morning shift as a wheelchair assistant at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport when he checked his email. Upon opening a message from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at 10:49 p.m. the previous night, he was informed that it was time for him to depart the United States. The notification stated that his parole, which allowed him to reside in the U.S., was being terminated within seven days. Failure to comply would result in potential law enforcement actions leading to his removal from the country, unless he had obtained a lawful basis to remain. The notification also mentioned that work permits obtained through parole status would be revoked.
The man, identified as Hekmatullah Quvanch, expressed feelings of fear and confusion upon receiving the notification. Quvanch, along with many other asylum seekers in Arizona, had received similar notices from the Department of Homeland Security on April 10 and 11. These individuals had been paroled into the U.S. through the CBP One app during the Biden administration’s efforts to manage the asylum crisis at the southern border by allowing migrants to request appointments at legal border crossings.
The Trump administration had criticized the CBP One app for allegedly enabling abuse of the asylum system and terminated it upon taking office. Migrants were instructed to use the CBP Home app for self-deportation. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the parole termination notifications and clarified that they applied to individuals without lawful status to remain in the U.S., excluding those paroled under specific programs such as U4U and OAW.
The Arizona Refugee Center in Mesa was contacted by over 60 immigrants who had received the parole termination notifications on April 11. These individuals hailed from various countries, including Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Mexico, and Afghanistan. Quvanch, who had applied for asylum with a pending case in immigration court, visited the center in person. The notifications primarily affected migrants who had not applied for asylum or other deportation protections.
While under parole status, Quvanch should not be required to leave, she stated. She believes that the Department of Homeland Security notifications were designed to induce confusion and chaos in order to intimidate migrants into self-deporting as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda. “It’s fear,” Larsen asserted. Migrants with only parole status who lose their work permits and jobs would be left with no option but to depart and return to their countries, where many could face danger, Larsen pointed out. She also noted that the departure of migrants would negatively impact employers who depend on them, as well as the economy. On the other hand, asylum seekers do not need to leave, according to attorney Delia Salvatierra. She explained that most immigrants granted parole in the U.S. have already applied for asylum, which provides an additional layer of deportation protection. These individuals are allowed to remain while their cases are being processed. However, Salvatierra emphasized that the parole termination notifications are causing fear among immigrants who were granted parole to pursue their immigration cases in the U.S. She recounted a call she had received from a man from Mexico who was concerned about having to leave the U.S. and return to Mexico after receiving the parole termination notification. Salvatierra clarified that individuals who have applied for asylum or other deportation protection while under parole status are not required to leave while their cases are pending. Despite the desires of the current administration, individuals with pending court hearings or matters being adjudicated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or the Department of Justice through the immigration courts do not have to depart, she stated. Salvatierra mentioned that those who had received work permits through parole status could face difficulties in obtaining legal work authorization for an extended period if they had not already applied for work permits associated with their asylum cases. Quvanch shared that he fled Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s resurgence in 2021 and the imposition of an extremist ideology. He, as a government worker and journalist, feared for his life and that of his family under the Taliban’s oppressive regime. Arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in January 2024, he was granted parole to enter the U.S. temporarily to seek asylum or other forms of immigration relief. After securing a work permit, he found employment as a wheelchair assistant at the airport. Quvanch and his wife welcomed a baby born in the U.S., making her a citizen. He expressed that returning to Afghanistan while the Taliban remains in power would put his life at risk and jeopardize his daughters’ future, as girls are prohibited from receiving secondary education under the Taliban. Larsen shared that despite the shock of receiving the parole termination notice, Quvanch continued to show up for work. A customer’s generous $100 tip lifted his spirits, showing him that many people care.
