On December 12, 2025, DHS announced it was terminating family reunification parole programs (FRP programs) for individuals from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, effective January 14, 2026.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The previous administration authorized certain citizens of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras to temporarily enter the United States through a parole program if they had family members who had filed petitions for them but did not yet have a visa available.
- This change affects everyone who entered through an FRP program and who is not yet eligible to apply for a green card through their approved family petition.
- All parole authorizations that were granted pursuant to an FRP program will now expire on January 14, 2026, with some exceptions.
HOW THIS MAY AFFECT YOU:
- If you entered the United States through an FRP program, but your priority date is not current yet, you should make plans to leave the United States before January 15, 2026. If you do not leave the United States before then, you will begin accruing unlawful presence, which will impact your ability to become a permanent resident in the future.
- All work permits issued pursuant to an FRP program will automatically expire on January 15, 2026
- If you submitted an I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, before on or before December 15, 2025, your parole status will remain valid until the original expiration date or USCIS makes a decision on your case, whichever happens first.