The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on December 12, 2025, the termination of all categorical Family Reunification Parole (FRP) programs for nationals from seven countries: Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, along with their immediate family members.
This move ends a Joe Biden-era initiative that allowed certain immigrants to enter the US temporarily to reunite with family while awaiting formal immigration processes.
What is Family Reunification Parole program?
Launched under previous administrations, the FRP programs used humanitarian parole, a discretionary authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, to grant temporary entry for family reunification.
Eligible applicants, often sponsored by US citizens or lawful permanent residents, underwent vetting before flying to the US, where they could apply for adjustment of status, according to Fox News.
The programs aimed to streamline reunions amid backlogs in family-based visas, particularly for children and spouses from high-migration nations.
DHS acknowledged their role in family unity but cited widespread abuse, including insufficient vetting that enabled fraud, national security risks, and harm to Americans.
Reasons for termination
DHS emphasised an “America First” approach, stating parole was never meant for categorical use but for case-by-case decisions as Congress intended.
“This administration is ending the abuse of humanitarian parole which allowed poorly vetted aliens to circumvent the traditional parole process,” the agency declared. Reviews revealed security gaps exploited by malicious actors, outweighing reunification benefits. The decision aligns with President Trump’s executive orders cracking down on immigration, including ending Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopians and prior programs like Uniting for Ukraine,” Fox News reported.
Deadline set for January 14, 2026
Aliens currently paroled under the FRP programs whose parole has not yet expired as of January 14, 2026, will see it end on that date, unless they have a pending Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, postmarked or electronically filed on or before December 15 2025, and still pending on January 14, 2026, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said.
If the Form I-485 is approved, parole remains valid until the earlier of the parole period expiration or the final decision on the application. Denials will require immediate departure from the US.