Parole Program Expands for Immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua

There is currently a lot of political unrest in Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua. These citizens are fleeing their home countries at high rates and seeking asylum in the United States. However, not everyone who chooses to leave their country can come to America legally. There are limitations that apply.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has created a new program to help citizens who are fleeing Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua seek safe haven here in the United States. This program is operated in conjunction with a new border enforcement policy that allows the government to apply Title 42 to citizens of these countries who attempt to enter the United States without authorization.

What Has Changed for Immigrants from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Haiti?

The DHS already has a program in place for the citizens of Venezuela. It was created in October 2022 and had a limit of 24,000 total travel authorizations. The DHS has made modifications to expand eligibility for parole to citizens of Nicaragua, Cuba, and Haiti. The Biden Administration will now allow up to a combined 30,000 parole travel authorizations per month from Venezuela and three other countries — Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua.

Citizens of Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua — as well as certain immediate family members — will be able to secure parole into the United States for a period of up to two years as long as they are sponsored by someone in the United States. Individuals and entities based in the United States can sponsor citizens of these countries and their families if they meet the following requirements:

• Possess a passport valid for international travel 
• Provide for their own commercial travel to a U.S. airport and final destination 
• Undergo and clear a required screening
• Not be a permanent resident or dual national of another country
• Not be an unaccompanied child under the age of 18 
• Not have been ordered removed from the United States within the past five years 
• Follow the rules regarding previous border crossings
• Comply with vaccination requirements and other public health guidelines

How Long Will the New Parole Program Last?

The DHS will evaluate this monthly limit and make adjustments as needed. There is currently no overall numerical limit or expiration date on the expanded parole process.

These restrictions were created to help humanly address the growing number of immigrants crossing United States borders. Unprecedented levels of migrant crossings have been observed at the U.S.-Mexico border for the past two years, leaving immigration officials and local border communities struggling to process and provide services for these individuals. In the 2022 fiscal year alone, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended a record 2.2 million migrants at the southwest border.

Contact Us Today

As the United States works to find solutions for citizens of Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua who are forced to leave their countries and find refuge here, policies may continue to change. New opportunities to enter the country legally may be open to these migrants; however, some restrictions still apply.

If you or a family member are in need of immigration assistance, contact the Chicago immigration lawyers at Sverdloff Law Group. We can assist you with issues including citizenship and employment in the United States if you seek asylum from your home country. Schedule a consultation online or call our office at (312) 238-9090.