October 24th, 2023 at 05:34 am
DHS Announces Family Reunification Parole Process for Ecuador
DHS today unveiled a new family reunion parole procedure for specific Ecuadorian nationals, carrying out the Biden-Harris administration’s successful policy of combining increased legal pathways with more robust enforcement to lower irregular migration.
As a component of the comprehensive measures announced in April by the Department of State and DHS, the family reunification parole processes support the stability of families. They align with the goals of the Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, which include bolstering efforts at the national, regional, and hemispheric levels. Consequently, to establish the prerequisites for regular, safe, humane, and orderly migration
Family Reunification Parole
The new procedure is only applicable to specific Ecuadorian nationals whose family members are authorized to join them in the US and who are either US citizens or lawful permanent residents. Particularly, Ecuadorian nationals and members of their close relatives may be eligible for parole for a maximum of three years, depending on the circumstances. So, as they await their application to be granted permanent residence status,
Per our laws and ideals, the family reunion parole procedure fosters family unity, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorcas. By establishing this procedure for some Ecuadorian citizens, more families would be able to use legal routes instead of putting their lives in the hands of smugglers to make the perilous journey.
Those who seek to enter the country illegally and do not take advantage of family reunification parole or other legal, safe, and orderly pathways will continue to suffer harsh repercussions. Under the new procedure, those Ecuadorian nationals who receive approval for a form Y130 petition for alien relations may be qualified to be evaluated for parole.
Eligibility Criteria
Beneficiaries who meet the qualifications must be outside of the US, comply with all legal, medical, and screening criteria, and not already have an immigrant visa.
Family Reunification Parole Process
The Department of State invites the petitioning US citizen or lawful permanent resident relative whose form i130 on behalf of an Ecuadorian beneficiary has been granted to begin the family reunification parole procedure. A few offspring and siblings of US citizens, as well as some spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, may be eligible beneficiaries awaiting an immigration visa.
The procedure can then be started by the invited petitioner by submitting a request for Advanced Travel authorization and parole on behalf of the beneficiary and any qualifying family members. Parole for family reunification is only granted case-by-case and temporarily when there is a clear and present need for humanitarian intervention or a substantial public benefit.
A demonstration that the beneficiary warrants a favorable exercise of discretion
When someone receives parole through this method, they can often have it for a maximum of three years and can apply for work authorization while they wait for their immigrant visa to become available. Upon the release of their immigrant visa, people may apply for admission as lawful permanent residents.
Further Details
The Immigration and Nationality Act gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the discretionary power to consider each applicant’s request for parole before granting them temporary entry into the country. Past secretaries from various administrations have similarly used the Parole Authority to establish other family reunification parole processes run by US citizenship and immigration services for urgent humanitarian reasons. Examples of these programs are the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program and the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, both established in 2007
2014 saw the DHS announce the upgrading of FRP procedures for Cuba and Haiti as well as new procedures for Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in July. The Federal Register notice detailing the application procedure and eligibility requirements for this FRP process scheduled for publishing in August.
US H-1B Work Visa Update | US Work Visa 2023
US to permit certain holders of work visas to extend their status without having to exit the nation. A pilot program that would allow certain holders of work visas to renew their visas in the US without having to return to their home countries set to launch by the US State Department.
Participants in this US State Department pilot program must have an H1B visa, which allows over 85,000 highly talented individuals to enter the US for up to three years of employment. The United States wants to do away with the need that holders of H1B visas to visit an overseas consulate to renew their status.
Department of State Response to the Initiative
A representative for the Department of State stated that the program will deal with the ambiguity that certain US businesses who hire H1B temporary workers frequently experience while the pilot program is in place. The Department of State will evaluate whether this regulation is affecting appointment availability worldwide, the spokeswoman said.
Additionally, the authorities will assess if the strategy will clear backlogs and make appointments easier for people attempting to obtain work visas outside of the United States.
Since domestic visa renewals ceased in 2004, immigration attorneys have been pressing the administration to bring back this practice in light of the present circumstances. Immigration attorneys claim that the government is burdening workers with their requirement to return to their home countries to renew work visas.
This is because getting a new visa requires paying a lot of money to travel overseas and make an appointment at a US consulate. By the end of this year, the State Department hopes to begin allowing holders of work visas to reapply while they are still in the nation.
The representative added that participation in the pilot program will initially be voluntary. The initiative must go through the rule-making process before the authorities formally launch this pilot program. Following completion of this process, the State Department will review feedback from the public and revise the proposed Rule as necessary.
After that, the White House will consider the proposal in its entirety. In 2004, the State Department suspended the domestic renewal of certain work visas due to the agency’s noncompliance with certain conditions.
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