Family Reunification Parole Process
This month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented a new family reunification parole (FRP) process for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Citizens of these countries who have relatives who are United States citizens, and who are beneficiaries of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, can be considered for parole on a case-by-case basis for a period of up to three years while they wait to apply to become a lawful permanent resident. That means these applicants can rejoin their families sooner, and this is great news for applicants from these countries.
Anti-Immigration Policies in Florida Challenged in Court
In other news, the sweeping anti-immigration policies in Florida passed by Governor DeSantis have now been challenged in court as unconstitutional. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and American Immigration Council jointly announced they will file a lawsuit challenging a section of SB 1718 that makes it a crime to transport of undocumented immigrants into, out of, or within the state of Florida. As it currently stands, the law makes it a serious crime for a family to travel together if one of them is an illegal immigrant, even if they are just going to the dentist or driving around town.
New USCIS Self-Service Tool
Finally, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched a new self-service tool this month, allowing applicants to reschedule most biometric services appointments before the date of the appointment. Rescheduling will happen through the individual’s online USCIS account, and needs to be for an acceptable reason.
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