The Biden administration has temporarily suspended the Humanitarian Parole Program, which allows 360,000 people from Haiti, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba to enter the U.S. each year to work or seek asylum. The pause is intended to address potential fraud issues within the program.
Launched in 2023 for Haiti, Nicaragua, and Cuba, and in 2022 for Venezuela, the parole program is an important part of the administration’s efforts to manage migration and reduce illegal border crossings. It encourages migrants from these countries to find U.S.-based sponsors and undergo background checks before traveling directly to U.S. airports, bypassing the southern border. This initiative has led to a significant reduction in illegal entries, particularly from Haiti, Nicaragua, and Cuba.
Currently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has suspended new applications under this program, which typically admits 30,000 new applicants per month. DHS spokeswoman Erin Heeter emphasized the department’s commitment to preventing abuse of the process, stating that the suspension is a precautionary measure while a review of support applications is conducted. DHS intends to quickly resume processing applications, incorporating enhanced safeguards.
Despite the pause, DHS officials have assured that the hundreds of thousands of migrants already admitted under the program have been rigorously screened and vetted. The suspension will not affect those already in the U.S. or those who have received travel authorization. The department maintains that no security threats have been identified among those admitted, according to the Washington Post.
The program requires U.S. sponsors, who can be citizens, legal permanent residents, or people with temporary status, to file applications on behalf of the migrants. Sponsors must undergo a background check and demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to support the sponsored individuals. Once in the U.S., these migrants can apply for a work permit and possibly permanent residency if they face persecution in their home country.
As of June 2024, over 300,000 people have already been admitted under the humanitarian parole program, commonly known as the Biden program, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.