The Trump administration shut down two methods of relief for immigrants on Friday, leaving thousands of families from Latin American countries in bureaucratic limbo and ending deportation protections for Ethiopians.
The Department of Homeland Security announced it would shut down programs aimed at reuniting U.S. citizens and permanent residents with family members by allowing them to enter the country while they wait out visa backlogs. The agency also moved on Friday to end the designation of Temporary Protected Status for more than 5,000 Ethiopians.
These actions continue the administration’s efforts to target immigrants who are currently protected from deportation or have work permits, some of whom entered the country legally.