Under a new family reunification program implemented by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), approximately 3,000 people from Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have benefited, allowing them to travel to the country while awaiting their long-awaited green cards. , as reported by the Migration Policy Institute.
by the meridian
DHS has announced special plans for Colombians, Guatemalans, Hondurans and Salvadorans, seeking to facilitate family reunification for those with existing sponsorship applications. The initiative is carried out by Safe Mobility Offices (SMO), which, according to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, have opened since June in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala.
These family reunification programs not only allow family members to travel to the United States on parole while awaiting green card processing, but also provide a path to permanent residency in the country. Unlike other parole programs that are limited to two years, the Family Reunification Program benefits people who have an advanced process to obtain permanent residency.
The State Department has negotiated with several actors to establish SMOs managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Although thousands of people have benefited from these offices, they have yet to reach their full potential.
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