Zoom Webinar - Biden Parole Program (Keeping Families Together)

On August 19, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications online for the Biden Parole-in-Place Program “Keeping Families Together.”

On September 4, 2024, attorney Pamela Peynado from the Peynado Law Firm and attorney Eric Adams from EA Law, LLC will be co-hosting a free webinar via Zoom concerning this parole program. Click the link here to join.

EA Law, LLC recommends bringing the following evidence to your consultation:

For spouses of American citizens, you must be able to show that:

• The immigrant spouse last entered the U.S. without inspection or admission (because otherwise they would likely already qualify for adjustment of status);

• The immigrant spouse has been continuously present in the United States since June 17, 2014 (10 years prior to the date of the announcement);

• The immigrant spouse was already legally married to a U.S. citizen (including deceased spouses) as of June 17, 2024 (the date of the announcement); and

• The immigrant spouse deserves a favorable exercise of discretion (e.g. good moral character evidence, tax filings, letters of recommendation, criminal history, etc.).

For stepchildren of American citizen parents, you must be able to show that:

• The immigrant stepchild last entered the U.S. without inspection or admission (because otherwise they would likely already qualify for adjustment of status);

• The immigrant stepchild has been continuously present in the United States since June 17, 2024 (the date of the announcement);

• The immigrant stepchild was under age 21 on June 17, 2024;

• The immigrant stepchild was unmarried on June 17, 2024;

• The immigrant parent of the stepchild was married to the U.S. citizen stepparent prior to the stepchild’s 18th birthday;

• The immigrant parent of the stepchild was married to the U.S. citizen stepparent prior to June 17, 2024; and

• The immigrant stepchild deserves a favorable exercise of discretion (e.g. good moral character evidence, tax filings, letters of recommendation, criminal history, etc.)..

Additionally, see an outline of the key updates from the USCIS page:

• For each request, USCIS will determine whether parole-in-place is warranted, based on a “significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons,” and whether the applicant deserves a “favorable exercise of discretion,” in light of the applicant’s immigration and criminal history, background checks, national security and public safety vetting, and any other relevant information as USCIS sees fit.

• Grants of parole under this process will be for three years. During this three-year window, spouses of U.S. citizens will be eligible to apply to adjust status to permanent residence.

• Visa overstays will not be eligible for this parole program, but likely still qualify for other immigration relief (e.g. adjustment of status).

• Applicants who are in removal proceedings may still apply for parole in place with USCIS, so long as they otherwise qualify under this process. However, if the applicant is an enforcement priority under the Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law, issued by Secretary Mayorkas in September 2021, will be disqualified.

• If USCIS denies a parole request, they will likely follow the Mayorkas Guidelines, mentioned above, to determine whether to place the applicant into removal proceedings.

• An applicant’s noncitizen children may also be considered for parole in place, if the child is physically present in the U.S. without admission/parole and is a “stepchild” of the U.S. citizen spouse as of June 17, 2024.

• To qualify as a “stepchild” under immigration law, the noncitizen child must be unmarried, under the age of 21, and the marriage of their noncitizen parent applicant and their U.S. citizen stepparent must have taken place prior to the child’s 18th birthday.

• An applicant who receives an approval for the parole will become immediately eligible to apply for an employment authorization document (EAD or work permit) from USCIS under the (c)(11) category code.

Finally, there are outstanding questions as to whether immigrants who are subject to specific grounds of inadmissibility may apply, or whether the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) will protect aged-out children. These inadmissibility grounds may/not include:

• Certain misdemeanor criminal convictions, including fraud;

• Prior removal orders (executed and unexecuted orders); and

• Pending removal proceedings (active or administratively closed).

If you want to make an appointment to speak with an attorney to see if you qualify, click here or on the appointment link below.