Unfortunately, the Spousal Parole-in-Place Program introduced by the Biden Administration has been canceled. But, what does this mean all mean? What happened? Don’t worry, we'll explain.
On June 18, 2024, the Biden Administration announced a new Parole-in-Place program for undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens. This program was implemented on August 19, 2024, but on August 27, 16 states filed a lawsuit to stop the program. While this lawsuit was pending, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ordered USCIS to stop approving applications, but applicants could continue to file their applications.
The federal court order preventing USCIS from approving applications was to expire on November 8, 2024.
However, on November 7, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas stopped the program entirely, ruling that the federal government lacked the authority to enact this program.
On November 13, USCIS announced that:
They are not accepting Form I-131F and will not approve any pending Form I-131F applications.
All future Application Support Center appointments for Form I-131F are canceled immediately.
Soon, USCIS will publish how they will handle pending cases and paid application fees.
We hoped this program would provide a pathway for millions of families to gain status without leaving the country, bringing them security and opportunity. Unfortunately, that is not the case. However, don’t lose hope!
Over the next year or so, we anticipate that the immigration process will change and may become stricter. We want to assure you that we will continue to stay in touch and provide you with updates. We want you to know that we are here for you and want to ensure that if you have any immigration or legal needs, let us know. The Scott Law Firm team is here for you.