The Biden administration's decision not to renew parole for more than 500,000 immigrants who were subject to the controversial migrant flight program was greeted with surprise by some at the time it was announced, but by conservatives. warns that there will be no major changes.
“This move is yet another optical smokescreen by the Biden-Harris administration,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Greene said in a statement.
DHS confirmed last week that it will not extend the two-year parole for immigrants who entered the country through the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) program's parole process. The program was established in 2022 and expanded in early 2023, allowing immigrants to receive permission to travel and receive parole for two years.
Biden administration won't extend parole for more than 500,000 immigrants living in the U.S. due to controversial flight plan
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas listens as President Biden speaks about the executive order in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 in Washington, DC. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Approximately 30,000 people are allowed to enter the country each month, and nearly 530,000 immigrants have entered the country to date under the program. However, the government said these paroles would not be renewed.
“As originally stated in the Federal Register, granting parole under these procedures was for a temporary period of up to two years. “The goal is to make sure that people who are eligible and able to work and contribute to the United States are able to seek money,” a DHS spokesperson told FOX News Digital.
“Persons who do not have immigration benefits pending or who have not received immigration benefits during their two-year parole period must leave the United States before the expiration of their authorized parole period or If not, he may be subject to deportation proceedings after his parole period ends,” they said.
The decision was greeted with disappointment by some immigration activists, but conservatives said Haitians and Venezuelans are often eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which will be renewed by the Biden administration and protect them from deportation. It points out that there is a possibility. Venezuela was renewed under TPS last year and Haiti was renewed this summer, so those who arrived before the redesignation would also be eligible. Meanwhile, Cubans can apply for green card status through the Cuban Adjustment Act. There is no clear path for Nicaraguans, but they may be able to apply for asylum.
“There are numerous other ways in which these inadmissible aliens could, and most likely will, be allowed to remain, including by applying for asylum or applying for Temporary Protected Status. But even if they are denied, given ICE's low enforcement rates under the current administration, most will be allowed to remain, “simply not a priority for removal,'' Green said. said.
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Gene Hamilton, vice president and general counsel for America First Legal, a group that worked with more than a dozen states to sue the Biden administration over the program, was also skeptical about the impact of the decision not to renew parole. . He noted that the administration has no plans to scale back the program itself, so more immigrants will come in, calling it “political theater.”
“We're left with a situation where they've brought in hundreds of thousands of people, and they're going to take advantage of TPS so they can stay here for as long as TPS is designated. And They're not saying anything, “They're going to end this program in terms of bringing in new people, and of course what that means is none of these people are going to go home.'' he told FOX News Digital.
He said he believes the administration is trying to “save face” on border-related issues, and given the administration's extensive use of parole, he is concerned about the ongoing legal battle over the program. He suggested that the administration may be nervous about this.
The division marks the border with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (center). (Photo credit: Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images | Andrew Harnik/Getty Images | Alex Wong/Getty Images | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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“From their perspective, if they make the wrong decision about the authority to bring these aliens into the United States on parole, they're going to be in for a world of hurt. To them, the abuse of parole authority is Because it’s really over.’ All across the spectrum,” he said.
Conservatives have long argued that the use of parole, which is limited to a case-by-case basis by Congress, is for urgent humanitarian reasons or in the vital public interest.
“If they're seen as accepting people and renewing it indefinitely, it undermines the integrity of their claim that it's only temporary,” Hamilton said.
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Hamilton also said that it is often difficult for even conservative governments to deport immigrants, given the legal limitations of TPS and the refusal of some countries to take back their citizens. he claimed. As a result, he said, he suspects a significant number of these immigrants will be deported under a Biden or Harris administration.
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“The chances are virtually zero,” he said.
The move comes as the Biden administration insists recent policies at the southern border are working. Officials say illegal encounters at the border have fallen sharply since the executive order restricting immigration in June. Officials said they have deported or returned more than 131,000 people to more than 140 countries since June 5, including operating more than 400 international repatriation flights.
“Total removals and returns in the past year exceed removals and returns in any fiscal year since 2010, and the majority of encounters at the Southwest border in the past three fiscal years were due to removals, returns, or resulting in deportation,” DHS said in a release last year. month.
FOX News' Emma Woodhead contributed to this report.
