Story highlights The decision means nearly 3,000 people will no longer be able to come to the US

The program had been designed to offer a safe haven to vulnerable youths

Washington (CNN) The Trump administration is ending a program that allowed certain at-risk Central American youths to live in the US, a move that removes an option for desperate parents that served as an alternative to human smuggling.

Wednesday's decision is a further example of President Donald Trump's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and make it harder to enter the US for Central Americans seeking protection, though the program has the potential to feed the dangerous networks the Trump administration has sought to cut off.

The Central Minors Program was terminated as of Wednesday following a review initiated by Trump's January executive order on immigration enforcement. Trump's executive order required all instances of undocumented immigrants being paroled to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The CAM program had allowed children under the age of 21 with parents lawfully living in the US to be automatically considered for parole to live in the US if they did not qualify for refugee protections but were still at risk of harm.

Nearly 3,000 minors who had been in limbo as the program was being evaluated will now not be unable to come to the US, not counting the people who would have applied if it continued.

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