Deadline Approaches for U.S. Humanitarian Parole Beneficiaries

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a reminder on Thursday to immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua who entered the country under the humanitarian parole program. These individuals were given a two-year window to regularize their immigration status, which began upon their arrival and is nearing expiration for the initial beneficiaries of the Biden Administration's initiative.

According to Univision, those unable to secure asylum or other immigration benefits must leave the U.S. at the end of their temporary entry authorization. The humanitarian parole program was originally launched in 2022 to facilitate the orderly entry of Ukrainian immigrants fleeing war. In October of that year, it was expanded to include Venezuelans, and by January 2023, citizens from Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua were also eligible.

Under this program, immigrants receive a two-year temporary entry permit. During this time, they must seek to adjust their status through other available legal avenues, such as asylum or Temporary Protected Status (TPS), to remain in the country beyond their parole period. Failure to adjust their status in time will subject them to deportation proceedings, as stipulated by DHS regulations.

While the Cuban Adjustment Act offers a pathway for Cubans to apply for permanent residency after one year in the U.S., immigrants from other nationalities face a more challenging process. The DHS has stated there will be no extensions or reactivation of the program after its conclusion on January 5. More than half a million immigrants have entered the U.S. under this program.