Survey data show the administration’s
parole policy for the Americas is a successful model for new legal pathways

For too long, the asylum system has been the only viable legal pathway for migrants in the Americas to work and reunite with family in the United States. The asylum system was never meant to be the front door of our immigration system, which is why the Biden Administration created new legal pathways to reduce unauthorized migration from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These parole pathways allow Americans to sponsor people from these four countries to live and work legally in the United States for two years.

Survey data collected in 2023 from participants in the Cuba-Haiti-Nicaragua-Venezuela (CHNV) parole process show that this legal pathway for migrants from those countries has been a compassionate solution that has reduced border arrivals and relieved pressure on city governments. In fact, survey data indicate that those paroled through the CHNV process disperse throughout the country, initially depend on sponsors and not government, and are becoming economically self-sufficient in a short period of time.

Sponsorship helps integration and self-sufficiency

Family and friends are the primary sponsors for CHNV parole recipients. Respondents were most likely to be sponsored by family members (74%), followed by friends (18%), and other individuals (8%) through an organization. The majority (75%) of sponsors have lived in the U.S. for ten years or longer. According to respondents, top reasons these individuals chose to be parole sponsors include to reunite with and support family members.

Networks of families and friends support parole policy participants as they adjust to life in the United States. More than half (57%) of respondents initially live with their parole sponsor as they integrate into their new communities. In all, according to survey results, CHNV paroled individuals live in as many as 27 states. Survey data also indicate that only a small share (21%) of those entering the U.S. through the CHNV parole process receive assistance from family members, with few (only 3%) saying they accessed organization or local government support. Through sponsorship, nearly all paroled individuals are financially independent.

Paroled individuals hold great future promise for the U.S.

More than half (54%) of respondents already have a good command of the English language, while nearly all (96%) have at least a high school diploma and the majority (63%) have some college education. The majority (87%) of respondents indicate aspirations to pursue U.S. citizenship at some point. As respondents looked to their future, many envisioned applying their skills as healthcare workers, engineers, or educators.

The CHNV policy should not be limited, but expanded

As challenges at the border persist and city governments continue to provide support and services to newly arrived immigrants, policymakers cannot afford to limit the few existing pathways for legal immigration to the U.S. When safe, legal pathways are removed, unsafe and unregulated pathways become the only option for migrants desperate to escape violence and political oppression. Eliminating these parole pathways would instead lead to an increase in the overwhelming number of migrants arriving at the border, as well as increasing the share of individuals who will rely on local services upon their arrival.

An already overwhelmed border regulation authority cannot handle the border consequences of limiting humanitarian parole. On the contrary, upholding the administration’s right to extend parole will allow this and future administrations to show compassion to migrants seeking safety while managing border crossings. By doing so, people fleeing persecution can be safe, they can contribute to U.S. communities, and our southern border and cities will be better for it.