Higher education institutions are grappling with cascading federal immigration 
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The document, titled "Understanding Refugees and Displaced Students on Campus: Recent Policy Impacts & Ways to Support," outlines how executive orders and legislative proposals in 2025 have created what experts call the largest mass de-legalization event in U.S. history, affecting students holding various humanitarian statuses.
The most dramatic impact came from the Supreme Court's May 29 decision in Noem v. Svitlana Doe, which terminated Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) parole programs. The ruling instantly stripped legal status from more than 400,000 CHNV parole beneficiaries who had been authorized to live and work in the U.S. for two years with financial sponsors.
"The temporary and uncertain nature of parole can create anxiety for students, faculty, and staff," the report states. "Institutions should anticipate increased advising and support needs."
On January 20, President Trump issued an executive order suspending all refugee admissions, which took effect January 27. The Department of State subsequently terminated contracts with resettlement agencies and the Welcome Corps private sponsorship program, including Welcome Corps on Campus.
The suspension left more than 120,000 approved refugees stranded abroad, including 14,000 with travel already booked. No refugees can be admitted until a Presidential Determination for fiscal year 2026 is issued—a document typically released by October 1 that sets the annual refugee admissions ceiling.
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, primarily Afghan and Iraqi nationals who served the U.S. government, also face disruption. While the Afghan SIV program remains authorized through December 31, 2025, flights for approved SIVs were halted in January, forcing recipients to arrange their own travel and resettlement.
