DHS ends family reunification parole for seven countries
The Department of Homeland Security said Friday it is terminating Family Reunification Parole programs for nationals of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, citing fraud, security concerns and a return to case‑by‑case parole. In a separate Federal Register notice, DHS also ended Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopia, stating current conditions no longer meet TPS criteria. DHS quoted administration executive orders and said fraud and national‑security priorities outweigh program benefits.
📌 Key Facts
- FRP termination applies to Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, per DHS and a Federal Register notice
- DHS said parole usage had circumvented intended, case‑by‑case vetting and posed fraud and security risks
- TPS designation for Ethiopia is terminated following an interagency review of country conditions, according to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s notice
📊 Relevant Data
Approximately 16,100 individuals were paroled under the Family Reunification Parole programs for Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras since July 2023, and these individuals will be affected by the termination.
DHS Terminates Family Reunification Parole Programs for Seven Countries — EIG Law
A congressional report exposed widespread fraud in the U.S. Humanitarian Parole Program, including fake sponsors and identity theft, affecting programs like those for Cubans and Haitians.
Congressional Report Exposes Fraud and Failures in U.S. Humanitarian Parole Program — Cuba Headlines
Immigrants from Haiti to the United States are predominantly Black, comprising about 12% of recent Black immigrant arrivals, while those from El Salvador and Cuba are predominantly Hispanic.
What the data says about immigrants in the U.S. — Pew Research Center
The Somali population in Minnesota has grown to approximately 79,000 as of 2019-2023, representing about 1.4% of the state's population, with significant increases since 2015 due to refugee resettlement.
Somali population - Cultural communities — Minnesota Compass
In the Minnesota fraud scandal involving Somali nationals, federal prosecutors have charged 78 defendants in schemes that defrauded nearly $1 billion from social services programs since 2020.
Fraud in Minnesota: Detailing the nearly $1 billion in schemes — FOX 9
About 5,000 Ethiopian immigrants in the US will lose Temporary Protected Status following the termination, as DHS determined that armed conflict in Ethiopia no longer meets the conditions for TPS designation.
Thousands of Ethiopian Migrants Lose US Deportation Protections — Bloomberg Law
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have a poverty rate of about 39% among working-age adults, compared to the state average of 9%, with 39% lacking a high school education.
Somali Immigrants in Minnesota — Center for Immigration Studies