The Humanitarian Parole has helped thousands of migrants, but the crisis continues
HAVANA.- The United States Department of Homeland Security has reported that more than 357,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans have benefited from the Humanitarian Parole program, aimed at preventing migrants from taking unsafe routes to reach the US borders. However, despite the program’s efforts, the migration crisis continues to escalate.
Since August, there have been over 10,000 daily arrests of migrants, and the fiscal year 2023 concluded with 3.2 million encounters of undocumented migrants at the border. The program is currently processing 30,000 travel permits per month due to the high demand for places, but questions remain about the speed and effectiveness in processing the cases.
The issue of the United States border with Mexico is central to the 2024 presidential campaign, with strong criticism from the Republican opposition to the Biden administration’s immigration and open border policies. Republicans demand more restrictive policies that would sharply reduce asylum protections.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio has expressed concerns about the abuse of the system due to the large influx of people, arguing that it is not sustainable and could encourage uncontrolled migration. The Democratic administration defends the humanitarian parole, stating that it has contributed to the reduction of detentions at the border and has discouraged dangerous migration routes. However, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records reveal an unprecedented increase in immigration in the US with approximately 9,000,000 encounters since Biden took office.
The humanitarian parole process is delayed due to the high demand for applications and the strictness of the applicant evaluation process, showcasing the ongoing challenges faced in addressing the migration crisis. The issue of migration is likely to remain a key campaign issue in the upcoming presidential election, as the debate over immigration policies continues to divide political parties.