The humanitarian parole program, which allows certain immigrants to obtain temporary permission to enter the United States, has been the subject of recent changes that have already taken effect.
According to immigration lawyer Angel Leal, AmericaTeVe MiamiThese adjustments seek to increase scrutiny and prevent fraud in the process, which has generated greater interest and concern among those hoping to benefit from this program.
For those who submitted their applications before the temporary suspension of the program, there will be no need to start from scratch. “Those who have previously submitted their applications and have their case pending, continue with their pending case,” said Leal.
However, new applicants and sponsors will face new security measures, such as the collection of biometric data that includes fingerprints and eye images. “From now on, those who enter the program again, specifically sponsors, will be subject to biometric services,” the lawyer added.
However, he also stated that: “I would not rule out that someone who has a pending case may also be asked for biometrics and, above all, a scrutiny of financial documentation.”
Humanitarian Parole Fraud
One of the main problems that the Biden Administration’s program has encountered has been fraud, with reports of sponsorship marketing on social media and other platforms.
According to Leal, this was “a bad start” since the program was originally designed to be used by people with emotional or family ties, and not for profit. The lawyer stressed that the new measures seek precisely to limit these fraudulent practices, although he acknowledged that the system remains vulnerable.
Travel authorizations to the United States for humanitarian parole
Another aspect that has caused confusion is the cancellation of travel authorizations by airlines, due to the temporary suspension of the program.
“At the beginning of this temporary suspension, what happened was a lack of communication,” explained Leal. Airlines, fearing sanctions, chose not to accept travel permits that, in many cases, were still valid. For those affected, the lawyer recommends contacting USCIS directly to try to reverse the cancellation or request a new travel permit.
Criticism of parole in the United States
Regarding the criticisms that have arisen regarding the effectiveness of the program, Leal pointed out that although humanitarian parole has not managed to significantly reduce illegal entries across the border, the real cause of this decrease has been the new asylum regulations.
In addition, Leal said that parole is not the best mechanism to ensure that those entering the country are worthy of that opportunity. “We have seen people who may not be wanted who have been able to enter with this parole mechanism,” he said, referring to the fact that, although these people may not eventually obtain residency, they are already in the United States.
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