Bloomberg Línea — The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun implementing new family reunification parole (FRP) processes.
The new scheme promotes family unity and are part of the comprehensive measures announced in April by the DHS and the State Department for Colombians, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Hondurans whose family members are US citizens or lawful permanent residents and who have received approval to reunite with their relatives in the United States.
Nationals of these countries may be considered for parole on a case-by-case basis for up to three years while they wait to apply to become lawful permanent residents.
“These new processes promote family unity and provide legal pathways consistent with our laws and our values,” said Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security in a tweet on July 7.
“The Department has demonstrated that the expansion of safe, orderly and legal pathways, combined with strong enforcement, is effective in reducing dangerous and irregular migration to the United States,” he added.
Certain nationals of the four countries who are beneficiaries of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, may be eligible to be considered for parole under the new processes.
Family reunification processes
Qualified beneficiaries must be outside the United States, meet all requirements, including medical and screening requirements, and must not have already received an immigrant visa.
The processes begin with the Department of State issuing an invitation to the petitioning US citizen or lawful permanent resident family member whose Form I-130 on behalf of a Colombian, Salvadoran, Guatemalan or Honduran beneficiary has been approved.
Beneficiaries awaiting an immigrant visa may include certain children and siblings of U.S. citizens and certain spouses and children of permanent residents.
The invited petitioner may initiate the process by filing an application on behalf of the beneficiary and eligible family members to be considered for advance travel authorization and parole.
The new processes allow parole only on a discretionary, case-by-case and temporary basis upon a showing of urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, as well as a showing that the beneficiary deserves a favorable exercise of discretion.
Individuals paroled into the United States under these processes will generally be considered for parole for up to three years and will be eligible to apply for employment authorization while waiting for their immigrant visa to become available.
When their immigrant visa becomes available, they may apply to become lawful permanent residents.
The Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, at their discretion, to temporarily parole non-citizens to enter the United States on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or for significant public benefit.