CNN —
The Biden administration will not extend legal permission for certain migrants from Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti, which are provided through a temporary humanitarian program aimed at curbing illegal border crossings, to the United States, the paper said. He said he would need to seek other legal means to stay in the country. Department of Homeland Security.
The decision comes nearly two years after the administration rolled out a program to temporarily allow Venezuelans seeking to enter the United States to live and work in the country as a way to ease the population surge at the border. It was done later. The program required these immigrants to have a sponsor in the United States, undergo screening and testing, and complete vaccinations.
The administration later expanded the program to include Nicaraguans, Cubans and Haitians, describing it as a way for immigrants to come to the United States in an orderly manner.
But the system has become a political flashpoint, with Republicans claiming the administration is abusing parole powers and frequently citing it in criticizing President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
By the end of August, about 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans had entered the United States under the policy, according to federal data. The program remains available to new applicants in the four countries, but the government suspended it this summer over fraud concerns.
Homeland security officials maintain that the program is temporary and offers arrivals the opportunity to apply for other legal status while in the United States. The administration did not guarantee an extension of the program, but it did allow Ukrainians and Afghans to be re-paroled under a similar program.
Parole for some Venezuelans is set to expire soon in line with the two-year program, but immigration remains a central issue in the campaign between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, leading up to Election Day. This also coincides with the fact that this is just a few weeks away.
“As originally stated in the Federal Register, grants of parole under these procedures were temporary for up to two years. This two-year period is the period during which an individual receives humanitarian relief and other benefits for which he or she is eligible. “The purpose is to seek immigration benefits so that they can work and contribute to the United States,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement.
Protection expires over time, but some may already have sought other legal permission to remain in the United States. Those who do not will be directed to apply for alternative status, leave the U.S. or face deportation proceedings, which could leave some legally incapacitated.
Homeland Security officials say Venezuelans and Haitians are eligible for Temporary Protected Status, a form of humanitarian relief, and some of those granted parole to the United States have already applied for the status. It is said that some people do. A separate and unique process applies to Cubans, offering a direct path to permanent residence.
Those most affected may be Nicaraguans who do not have the same options. Asylum is an option for people of all nationalities, but not everyone is eligible.
Republican members of the House Homeland Security Committee blasted the administration in a Friday post to There are many other ways to allow the stay.”
CNN’s Camila DeChalus contributed to this report.
