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Family Reunification Parole Processes for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia Announced
Family Reunification refers to a category of immigration law that allows individuals with family members residing in the U.S. as citizens, Green Card holders, or refugees to bypass part of the standard immigration process by virtue of their relatives. The family reunification parole programs have not yet started. The immigration agency explained that more information will be published on the details of the program in mid-june of 2023.
New Family Reunification Announcement
President Joe Biden’s administration ended Title 42, an asylum restriction related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. government recognizes that migration is a regional challenge that cannot be managed alone and requires work with partners to create a more comprehensive and effective approach. As a result, the administration announced that it would be offering some new legal options for people especially families to come to the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled measures to reduce unlawful migration across the Western Hemisphere, expand lawful pathways for protection, and facilitate the safe, orderly, and humane processing of migrants. One of the new measures is the expansion of the family reunification parole.
A family-reunification parole program has already been created for Cubans and Haitians. These programs will be expanded to the citizens of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in an effort to create a new lawful pathway for migrants. This new program is for certain nationals from the four countries mentioned above, and their immediate family members, who have approved family-based petitions filed on their behalf by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
In recent years, the United States has faced an increase in irregular immigration from Central America, particularly from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, known as the Northern Triangle. The Biden administration has pledged to address the root causes of migration and has proposed a $4 billion aid package to combat poverty, violence, and corruption in the region.
When these family reunification parole processes are officially launched, certain eligible U.S. citizen and lawful permanent resident petitioners, with an approved Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative, who receive an invitation from the Department of State’s National Visa Center, will be able to apply for parole consideration. The Petitioner’s application for parole for Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, or Honduras family members will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis while they wait for their immigrant visa.
The government has stated that it will admit at least 100,000 Latin Americans seeking to reunite with their families in the United States but has provided almost no additional information or details. The plan was announced as restrictions tied to a public health law better known as Title 42 come to an end on Thursday, May 11, 2023, eliminating one of the legal underpinnings of the policy.
HOW WOULD PEOPLE APPLY?
The U.S. government said eligible people will receive an invitation to participate. If the Petitioner is not invited to take part of the program, they will not be able to participate. The government will provide advance travel authorization for individuals who have an approved I-130, and people will be eligible to apply for authorization to work in the United States while they wait for their immigrant visas. The administration said more information will be released in mid-June.
Family reunification has numerous benefits for both individuals and society as a whole. It helps to promote social cohesion, reduces social isolation, and improves mental health outcomes for those involved. Programs designed to reunite families are a particularly effective use of parole, as recipients have family members that can support them when they arrive in the U.S. and in many cases there is a clear path to more permanent status via family-based immigration visas.
We provide individuals, families, and employers with the legal representation they need to navigate the process of a complex Immigration. For more information on how we can assist you, please visit our website at www.elizeelawfirm.com or email us at intro@elizeelawfirm.com.
Patricia Elizee is the managing partner of the Elizee Law Firm, an immigration law firm located at 1110 Brickell Avenue, Suite 315, Miami, Florida 33131. Phone 305-371-8846