The Biden administration’s mass parole program, aimed at migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela, has raised concerns following the release of Department of Homeland Security documents revealing significant migrant arrivals in Florida. The House Homeland Security Committee’s subpoenaed documents show that four Florida cities were among the top 15 places where migrants have landed between January and August 2023.
Under the parole program, migrants can qualify by obtaining a U.S. sponsor, passing a background check, and demonstrating urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. This allows them to fly into designated ports of entry, stay in the U.S. for two years, and obtain work permits.
The data released indicates that Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa in Florida have seen substantial numbers of arrivals under this program. With over 400,000 migrants processed, the program’s scale and impact on specific regions are becoming apparent.
House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green criticized Secretary Mayorkas’ handling of the program, alleging that it allows inadmissible aliens to enter the U.S. without meeting the criteria mandated by immigration laws. Green labeled the program an “unlawful sleight of hand” and accused Mayorkas of trying to conceal the worsening border crisis from the public.
The documents also reveal a significant backlog of approximately 1.6 million migrants awaiting approval to enter the U.S. through the parole program as of October 2023. This backlog underscores the challenges and complexities associated with managing such large-scale immigration initiatives.
Florida, along with several other states, has taken legal action against the administration, seeking to block the parole program on grounds that it circumvents visa processes and immigration laws. The program’s openness to 30,000 people per month from the designated countries has raised questions about its sustainability and impact on immigration policies.