On January 20, 2025, the humanitarian parole for citizens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela was suspended. The current U.S. government, led by President Donald Trump, has revoked this temporary permit that benefited many immigrants who entered the country under this program, which was implemented during Joe Biden's administration. 

What impact has humanitarian parole had over the years in the United States and what will be the repercussions of this executive order? The answer can be found in this article of our Immiland Law blog, which covers information on immigration processes for Canada, but this time we will take a look at what has been this parole program, its different types and the impact in favor of many immigrants.

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What is parole?

Humanitarian parole is a temporary leave program that was announced during the Biden administration in 2022. Initially, in favor of Ukrainian nationals affected by the war. Subsequently, to help nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

This temporary authorization has been classified by types according to the circumstances of each country. Let's see what they have been and their function.

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Types of parole in the United States

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1. Humanitarian Parole: designed for people facing urgent and extreme circumstances, such as:

• Critical medical needs that cannot be met in your home country.
• Family reunification in exceptional situations.
• Risk of persecution, violence or imminent danger.

This type of parole does not grant permanent legal status, but does allow the person to remain in the country for a limited period of time, generally until the emergency or humanitarian need is resolved.‍

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2. Parole for significant public interest: when the admission of an individual directly benefits the interests of the United States. For example:

• A foreign specialist or expert who is required to enter the United States to contribute to a scientific research or government project of high importance.
• A person required to enter the country to assist U.S. agencies in key investigations or national security efforts.

This type of parole is also temporary and does not guarantee a path to permanent residency.

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3. Family Reunification Parole : specific to certain family members of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents for families to remain together while immigration proceedings are completed, although it is still a temporary authorization.

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‍4. Advance parole: is a travel authorization granted to persons in the United States so that they may temporarily go abroad without losing their eligibility to return. It should be noted that it is not a type of visa nor does it represent an immigration status, the advance parole applies in one of these cases:

• The person is in the process of obtaining permanent residence(Green Card) and wants or needs to travel outside the country during the adjustment of status. He/she then applies for advance parole to leave and enter the country legally.
• You are a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiary and need to make a trip for humanitarian, educational or employment purposes. The advance parole is the most appropriate permit.

On advance parole does not guarantee entry into the United States, as the final decision is up to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the time of re-entry. 

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‍5. Border parole or parole at the border: this type of permit is granted at the border or at U.S. points of entry and is designed for persons who do not have the necessary documents for legal entry, but present urgent reasons, such as medical or humanitarian emergencies.Immigration officers are the ones who quickly evaluate the case and, if they grant parole, they do so for a very short period of time, depending on the nature of the situation.

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‍6. Parole for Unaccompanied Minors: There are a variety of circumstances in which an unaccompanied minor may require temporary permission to stay. In some circumstances, unaccompanied minors arriving at U.S. borders may receive parole to protect them from immediate danger in their home countries. This type of parole also includes programs such as the Central American Minors Program (CAM), which seeks to reunite vulnerable children with their parents who are in the United States.

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‍7. Parole in specific programs: in response to international crises or particular needs. For example:

• Parole for Afghans and Ukrainians: implemented in response to recent humanitarian crises.
• Parole for temporary workers: These nationals are classified by Uscis as nonimmigrants. In some cases, if a foreign worker does not qualify for H-2A (temporary agricultural work) or H-2B (temporary or seasonal non-agricultural work) visas, he or she may receive a temporary parole.

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‍Parole in the United States and its impact in favor of immigrants

‍Thispermit has been a relief for many foreigners who have used it as an entry or temporary stay permit in the United States, in addition to being able to apply for a work permit in some cases and to be protected against dangerous situations in their countries of origin. However, the temporary nature of this resource has limited it, since it does not grant permanent residency status or citizenship, its duration is limited and, as President Trump has done this year, it can be revoked. 

With the pause announced by USCIS, the opportunities for people from vulnerable countries to rebuild their lives in the United States are extinguished. The repercussions of this revocation will become apparent as the days and months of this first quarter pass, and surely beyond. 

Although this news was announced recently and so far there is no information on the processing of pending applications or their possible resumption, knowing the purpose and scope of this temporary permit is still useful to be updated with U.S. immigration news.

At Immiland Law, we are certified by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants of Canada. If you need to clarify doubts about your immigration status in the United States and want to know your chances of applying for a Canadian immigration program, contact us at and we will be happy to help you.

‍Wewill keep you updated through our blog and clarify your doubts as soon as possible to help you manage the situation in the midst of the great migratory changes to come. Visit our website: https://www.immilandcanada.com/law/canada.

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Thank you for reading us.

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See you in the next blog.

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With love,

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Immiland Law