President Biden Announces Parole-in-Place Program Designed to Keep “Mixed Status” Families Together
On June 18, 2024, President Biden announced that the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) will take actions to ensure U.S. citizens with non-citizen spouses and children will remain together. For these “mixed status” families, President Biden has implemented a new process that will allow certain non-citizen spouses and children to apply for a parole-in-place program and then legal permanent residency without leaving the country. This is significant news for individuals who would otherwise be eligible to apply for a family-based green card while in the United States but for their manner of entry into the country.
To be eligible for the parole-in-place program, these individuals must have resided in the United States for 10 years or more and be legally married to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024. Following approval of the parole-in-place application, applicants will be granted a three-year period to apply for permanent residency, be eligible for work authorization for up to three years, while remaining in the United States during the entire process.
In addition to this new process, the President’s announcement implemented an expedited employment visa process for individuals who have earned a degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education within the United States, and who have an offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to their degree. This new process will heavily benefit DACA recipients.
With additional details and specifics to come, the new processes will be extremely beneficial to mixed status families. Please follow our website for more of these details as soon as they become public. And should you have any questions about your eligibility for the parole-in-place program, please contact our office for a consultation.