The Biden administration will not renew the temporary parole program that has allowed 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Friday.
These individuals were granted a two-year period under the parole scheme to seek humanitarian relief or other immigration benefits and contribute to the U.S. workforce, DHS told the Daily Caller News Foundation. As these two-year grants begin to expire in the coming weeks, those without pending immigration applications or approved benefits will be required to leave the U.S. or face possible deportation.
“Those who do not have pending immigration benefits or who have not been granted an immigration benefit during their two-year parole period will need to depart the United States prior to the expiration of their authorized parole period or may be placed in removal proceedings after the period of parole expires,” DHS said in a statement to the DCNF.
The program was initially set up to manage a surge in migration from these countries by facilitating lawful entry into the U.S. and was aimed at reducing irregular migration and allowing time for migrants to pursue legal status through avenues like asylum or temporary protected status, the statement noted. For those still seeking to remain in the U.S., options for humanitarian relief or immigration benefits remain available.
Biden announced Monday that he was enhancing his previous executive order to further restrict asylum claims, aiming to manage illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border more effectively. The update extends the activation period of his June proclamation, which seeks to curb the surge in unlawful border crossings, in response to growing voter concerns over his immigration policies.
The Biden-Harris administration previously highlighted a decline in illegal border crossings, with incidents between ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border dropping over 50% since the June executive order, according to Customs and Border Protection. Despite this, the same press release disclosed that over 500,000 migrants have entered the U.S. through a mass parole program.
Featured Image Credit: The White House
