Factories run by General Electric and Kraft Heinz are experiencing workforce reductions, creating extra pressure on the remaining workers who are primarily immigrants.
The Trump administration's immigration policies have sparked a significant shift in the U.S. workforce and industries, particularly affecting individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Close to 1 million immigrants were allowed into the U.S. after securing appointments at the U.S.-Mexico border via a U.S. government app. However, the cancellation of two specific immigration programs under the Trump administration has had a profound impact on temporary work authorization and legal status for individuals from these countries.
The Humanitarian Parole Program for CHNV, which allowed beneficiaries to enter the U.S. lawfully with sponsorship, receive temporary legal parole status, and obtain work authorization, was terminated around March 2025. This decision affected approximately 500,000 beneficiaries, with Venezuelan immigrants being the largest group, and resulted in the revocation of their work permits and deportation protections.
Additionally, the Trump administration took steps to terminate or limit Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The termination or expiration of TPS protections could potentially lead to hundreds of workers at companies like GE Appliances losing their authorization to work.
The cancellation of these programs has been felt deeply in industries such as manufacturing, food production, and others. For instance, GE Appliances, a major appliance manufacturer, recently announced two new production lines and will need another 800 workers by 2027. However, the company has seen 148 employees lose their eligibility to work due to changes in immigration policies.
The revoked immigration status of these workers was often protected under programs designed to help people fleeing humanitarian crises. The sudden departures of these employees have not caused a major disruption at GE Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky., but they are felt deeply in some parts of the appliance park.
In Louisville, international migration played a crucial role in preventing a population decline last year, according to Sarah Ehresman, director of labor market intelligence at KentuckianaWorks. The revocation of their legal status and authorization to work caused panic among workers like Jaelin Carpenter, a team leader at GE Appliances in Louisville, and Michel Ange Lucas, who builds refrigerators for GE Appliances.
The Trump administration's approach to immigration policies was often controversial and led to legal challenges. For example, the cancellation of programs like the CHNV humanitarian parole program has been challenged in court, delaying the administration's efforts to get people to leave immediately.
In summary, the cancellation of the CHNV humanitarian parole program and efforts to terminate or restrict TPS protections substantially impacted temporary work authorization and legal status for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela under the Trump administration. The implications of these policies are still being felt across various industries in the U.S.
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