United States Announces New Parole Project that Will Benefit Millions of Immigrants

Thousands of Cubans and Latin Americans enter the United States each year, yet the majority reside illegally in the country for several years until they finally achieve the coveted legal status to stay without the risk of deportation.

This time, a new measure proposed by President Joe Biden offers hope to thousands of families and couples seeking to start a new life through the American dream. The measure, still under evaluation by the administration, aims to benefit over a million mixed-status families, i.e., illegal individuals married to U.S. citizens.

According to information released by the American press, government officials have been working on a series of proposals to grant work permits and deportation immunity to any immigrant who has been living or working illegally in the country for years and is married to a U.S. citizen.

The press also highlights that while immigrants are entitled to apply for their residency permit upon entering the country, the current law prevents them if they entered illegally, which is the case for the majority, whether through document forgery or border crossing. In this context, people are forced to live in the shadows for years, as applying for the permit could lead to deportation.

So far, the most popular idea among U.S. authorities is the use of a kind of humanitarian parole called “Parole in Place.”

What is Parole in Place?

It is a tool already used on a smaller scale to grant legal status to the undocumented spouses of U.S. military veterans, but in this case, it would be extended to all eligible individuals.

Currently, this parole is used as a way to reunite former members of the military with their families outside the country, granting them work permits and legal residency in the nation with the possibility of obtaining citizenship.

Regarding the new parole under consideration, it is controversial among the immigrant community because it would only apply to those who entered the country illegally, excluding those who did so legally with a visa. Moreover, it would only be allowed for spouses with more than 5 or 10 years of marriage, significantly reducing the number of potential applicants.

Government officials commented to the press that the measure is expected to be implemented before the presidential elections, which, for international critics, appears to be a crucial move by the current president in hopes of reelection.