On July 7, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the implementation of new family reunification parole procedures for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This action continues the Biden-Harris Administration's successful combination of expanded legal immigration channels and stepped-up enforcement in its efforts to lower irregular migration.
“These new processes promote family unity and provide lawful pathways consistent with our laws and our values,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, according to a July 7 press release. “The Department has proven that the expansion of safe, orderly, and lawful pathways, combined with strong enforcement, is effective in reducing dangerous, irregular migration to the United States.”
According to the press release, the new family reunification parole (FRP) procedures encourage family unity and are a part of the broad processs that DHS and the Department of State announced in April. The new procedures apply to nationals of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who have been given permission to join family members who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents in the country. More specifically, while they wait to submit an application to become a lawful permanent resident, citizens of these countries may be given parole on a case-by-case basis for up to three years.
The press release points out that certain citizens of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who are the recipients of an authorized Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, may be eligible to be considered for parole. Qualifying beneficiaries must be outside of the US, comply with all screening, vetting, and medical procedures, and not already be in possession of an immigrant visa. Petitioning U.S. citizens or lawful permanent resident family members that have an approved Form I-130 for a beneficiary from these countries will receive an invitation from the Department of State to start the procedure. Certain spouses and children of permanent residents, as well as certain children and siblings of U.S. citizens, may be beneficiaries awaiting an immigrant visa. The process can then be started by the invited petitioner by submitting a request for advance travel authorization and parole on behalf of the recipient and any qualified family members.
The new procedures only permit parole on a discretionary, case-by-case, and temporary basis if compelling humanitarian grounds or a substantial benefit to society can be shown, along with evidence that the beneficiary justifies the use of discretion in their favor. In principle, those granted parole via these procedures may stay in the country for up to three years and may apply for work authorization while they wait for their immigrant visa to become available. They may submit an application to become a lawful permanent residence once an immigrant visa becomes available.
