The recent reversal of the Biden-era humanitarian parole program by the Trump administration is already causing significant disruptions across industries, particularly affecting major employers like Amazon. This policy shift, temporarily upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court on May 30, rescinds work permits previously granted to over 500,000 immigrants from countries such as Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These individuals, once able to live and work legally in the U.S. with fiscal sponsors, are now experiencing growing uncertainty in their employment status.Amazon’s warehouse in West Jefferson, Ohio, employing over 3,700 people, has already laid off hundreds of workers. Nationwide, similar actions are underway, with Amazon requesting updated work permits or placing workers on unpaid leave. Other major employers like Walmart and Disney are also affected, either terminating or suspending workers to comply with the new regulations.Immigrants make up a significant portion of the warehousing and logistics workforce—about 21% overall, with roughly 460,000 being unauthorized immigrants in 2020. This policy shift could jeopardize over a million jobs, as employment now hinges on changing immigration enforcement.Though Amazon has offered legal aid resources to impacted employees, the move has sparked concern about broader workforce instability and the inconsistency between deportation priorities and labor enforcement in essential industries.
