As the U.S. Supreme Court authorizes the Trump administration to end humanitarian protections for roughly 500,000 migrants, the consequences are beginning to ripple through major American companies.
Workers previously shielded by the CHNV humanitarian parole program — covering nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela — have started losing their jobs. The program was introduced under President Joe Biden to allow nationals from those countries to live and work legally in the U.S. temporarily.
According to a report by Bloomberg News, cited by NewsNation, retail giant Walmart has instructed its stores across the country to identify employees whose temporary work status may soon expire. In states like Florida and Texas, several affected workers have already been dismissed, while others have received formal warnings.
In two Florida locations, employees were directly told they would be terminated if they could not renew their work authorization.
Immigration attorney Rolando Vazquez explained to NewsNation that companies are reacting to the political environment:
“There are civil and even criminal penalties for employers who keep people on staff without valid work authorization,” he said. “And with this administration showing it is serious about enforcing these laws, no company wants to take the risk.”
Walt Disney has also taken similar steps.
According to the Associated Press, the Florida-based company recently suspended nearly 50 Venezuelan workers who had been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS). NewsNation reported that it had attempted, unsuccessfully, to contact both Walmart and Disney for comment.
For Democratic State Representative Anna Eskamani, who represents Orlando, these layoffs highlight the harsh consequences of abrupt political shifts.
“Firing someone because of a change in their immigration status — especially when that change stems from sudden or confusing political decisions — should not be happening,” she said in a statement to NewsNation.
“We should be expanding protections for TPS recipients, not punishing them for political reasons.”
In Doral, Florida — home to the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S. — concern is growing. Local advocacy groups warn that these early dismissals could escalate into mass layoffs, as businesses scramble to meet stricter compliance standards.
Last week, the Supreme Court granted the Trump administration the authority to end Biden’s humanitarian parole program. This move targets migrants from the CHNV countries, who until now had the legal right to live and work in the United States. They now face potential arrest or deportation, placing employers in a difficult position.
Over 520,000 individuals had entered the U.S. under the parole program, including more than 320,000 Haitians. Many had already adjusted their status under expanded TPS designations — but that may no longer offer protection under the new policy direction.
The shift, seen as a signature move by the Trump White House since his return, marks a turning point in U.S. immigration policy. It casts a looming shadow over immigrant workers whose legal status is now in jeopardy.
The human cost of this policy reversal — already felt in the aisles of Walmart and behind the scenes at Disney — is likely to grow significantly in the coming weeks.
