‘PAROLE-IN-PLACE’ ANNOUNCEMENT COMES JUST DAYS AFTER BIDEN’S MOST RESTRICTIVE IMMIGRATION ANTI-ASYLUM POLICY
“A step forward, but Pres. Biden must decide how his legacy will shape immigration policy and inform the soul of this nation.”
San Antonio, TX — The Biden administration’s newly announced ‘Parole-in-Place’ program for select undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens represents a significant move to protect the needs of our community members. Yet we must not forget that the announcement comes on the heels of the current administration’s most restrictive and draconian anti-asylum policy to date, which we believe to be yielding grave human rights violations and setting untenable precedent for this nation.
“We applaud any action that provides long-awaited relief for American families caught in the crossfires of U.S. culture wars, but we must acknowledge that this latest immigration program does not remedy the years of harm and injustice inflicted by this country’s flawed immigration system,” says Dolores K. Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer at RAICES. “While potentially life-changing for a significant number of people, President Biden’s commitment today only scratches the surface of complex challenges that exist, especially as we witness the devastating impact of policies rendering asylum largely inaccessible for people and families seeking safety in the U.S.”
Anticipated for rollout through a fee-based application process later this summer, the ‘Parole-in-Place’ program will reportedly provide pathways to deportation relief, work authorization, and legal status for up to 550,000 undocumented people living in the U.S. — or approximately 4 to 5% of the population estimated to be undocumented.
This initiative has the potential to remove crushing barriers faced by undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens, including heavy financial burdens and years of waiting to obtain legal status. Today, policies implemented as part of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, passed under the Clinton administration, require many undocumented spouses and stepchildren to leave the country for 10 years to be eligible for permanent status. Such regressive regulations have torn apart families and compounded historic backlogs within immigration courts and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
“The past three decades have been marred by unnecessary obstacles, destabilizing American families and underscoring an urgent need for administrative relief,” says Faisal Al-Juburi, Chief External Affairs Officer at RAICES. “President Biden’s historic announcement is but one step toward solutions that alleviate pervasive restrictions –– solutions long neglected in favor of multi-billion dollar investments upholding failed border militarization and incarceration strategies. Let us be clear: a fair, humane, and inclusive immigration system remains unrealized.”
At RAICES, we will continue to defend the human and legal right to seek asylum in the U.S., push for expanded immigration pathways that reflect this nation’s values, and remind the public that federal action is ultimately responsible for both the cruel and the compassionate humanitarian solutions we choose to uplift and fund as a nation.
RAICES, formally known as the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Headquartered in Texas and with national reach, RAICES promotes migrant justice by providing legal services, social services case management, and rights advocacy for immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Learn more at raicestexas.org and follow us on Instagram.
