The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has once again unveiled a program that effectively grants amnesty to illegal migrants while attempting to legitimize their unlawful presence in the United States. Elizabeth Jacobs from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has criticized this program for potentially overstepping constitutional boundaries, disguising the true extent of border crossings, and allowing the parole of illegal migrants under the guise of “family reunification.” This follows a previous program implemented earlier this year to “legitimize” tens of thousands of inadmissible illegal migrants on a monthly basis. The current program specifically targets migrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, and Guatemala.
According to DHS estimates, as many as 73,500 individuals (including Salvadorans, Colombians, Guatemalans, and Hondurans) could potentially be paroled into the country and granted work authorizations under this program. To be eligible, individuals from these countries must meet specific criteria and demonstrate that they are beneficiaries of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. This new process allows them to bypass the waiting period in their home countries for a family-based green card.
Jacobs argues that this program contradicts the language and history of the parole statute, as DHS only possesses limited authority to parole aliens on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons. The new program appears to deviate from this system, despite DHS’s claims. By applying broad standards to a large group of people, the program exceeds the authority granted by Congress, which is responsible for regulating immigration under the Constitution.
Moreover, the creation of this program serves as another tactic by the Biden administration to obscure the true data underlying the mass illegal immigration crisis in the United States. By paroling individuals from these countries, which have accounted for a significant number of border encounters in recent years, the administration can artificially lower the reported number of apprehensions at the border while allowing a large influx of inadmissible aliens to enter, remain, and work in the country without a visa.
Although migrants can initially receive up to three years of parole, Jacobs clarifies that parole is intended to be a temporary status and not a basis for long-term residency or employment in the United States. However, under the Biden administration, this temporary status is being exploited, potentially allowing dangerous individuals to enter the country. This program ultimately contributes to the ongoing influx of illegal aliens into the United States, undermining the concept of secure borders that protect the nation’s interests.
