On August 29, 2024, the Biden administration announced that it had restarted a humanitarian parole program for foreign nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The parole program allows foreign nationals from these countries to enter the U.S. for up to two years if they have a U.S.-based sponsor who is a citizen, permanent resident, or temporary immigrant.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stopped processing applications in mid-July when an internal report flagged possible issues, such as:
- concerns about multiple applications from a single sponsor,
- multiple sponsors using the same address in the application, and
- repeated use of the same Social Security number, including those belonging to deceased people.
DHS stated that when the program restarts, it will screen sponsors’ financial records and criminal backgrounds more closely and manually vet small batches of sponsor applications with enhanced screening procedures.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
The program is a key part of the Biden administration’s strategy to reduce irregular migration, but Republicans have long criticized the program, arguing that it is an illegal use of DHS’s parole authority. Over 2.6 million migrants have applied for the program, and over 530,000 have been authorized to travel to the U.S.
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.